Messi sees red as Bilbao stun Barca
Madrid, Spain - Lionel Messi was sent off for the first time playing for Barcelona as Athletic Bilbao stunned the Catalans to win the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday, a dramatic final finishing 3-2 after extra-time.
Moments before Bilbao's momentous win was confirmed, Messi threw an arm at Asier Villalibre, who had earlier scored a 90th-minute equaliser in normal time to deny Barca victory.
Antoine Griezmann's double looked to have sealed the trophy for Barca but Villalibre intervened before Inaki Williams' fabulous strike three minutes into extra time proved decisive.
Messi shook off a thigh problem to start in Seville and was required to play all 120 minutes as Barcelona attempted to take the game to penalties. Instead, the 33 year old lost his temper at the end of a combative contest, reacting to a late challenge from Villalibre by swiping his hands across the back of his opponent.
It meant a first ever red card for Messi in 753 appearances for Barcelona, to go with his two reds for Argentina in 2005 and 2019. "After so many years in football, Leo knows perfectly well when he is fit to play," said Barca coach Ronald Koeman. "We talked and he said he was in a good place to start. He has survived the game, given the maximum, nothing more."
Messi's anger will take some of the limelight away from Bilbao, who had already denied the competition a Clasico final by beating Real Madrid in the semis on Thursday and now have completed the set. It means a title and the perfect start for Marcelino Garcia Toral, who only took over as coach less than two weeks ago. But there was praise too for his predecessor Gaizka Garitano, who oversaw this team reaching the Copa del Rey final last season, which earned qualification in the first place.
"This is for Gaizka Garitano and his coaching staff as well who brought us here," said Williams.
Organisers at the Spanish Football Federation might have hoped for the global attraction of a Clasico, especially as the coronavirus pandemic had already kept the tournament in Spain rather than the lucrative Saudi Arabia, where it was played last year. Yet this was a frantic final, with a hugely surprising result.
"It is not a step back," Koeman said "Always winning titles is helpful to show that we are on the right track, but it is only one game, it is a Super Cup, and we will show in the next few games that we are on the right track."