Barcelona appeal against Messi two-game ban rejected: source

By
Tom Kirkwood
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Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi walks on the pitch during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Valencia CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on December 19, 2020. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP)
Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi walks on the pitch during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Valencia CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on December 19, 2020. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP)

Barcelona’s appeal against Lionel Messi’s two-match ban following his sending-off in the Spanish Super Cup final was rejected on Friday, sources from the Spanish Football Federation told AFP.

It means the Argentine will not be able to play for Barcelona in Sunday’s game away at Elche in La Liga.

Messi served the first match of his suspension as the Catalans won 2-0 in extra time away to near neighbours Cornella, of Spain’s third-tier Segunda B division, on Thursday in the Copa del Rey.

He was sent off late in extra time in Sunday’s Super Cup final in Seville against Athletic Bilbao, which Barcelona lost 3-2.

Messi saw the first red card of his Barcelona career, on his 753rd appearance, for lashing out at Athletic’s Asier Villalibre.

gr/pm/as/td

© Agence France-Presse

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