Four-Game Ban Awaits Lionel Messi After Supercopa Final Red Card

Lionel Messi could face a four-match ban after receiving the first red card of his Barcelona career for taking a swipe at Athletic Bilbao’s Asier Villalibre in Sunday’s Spanish Supercopa final.

Barca lost 3-2 despite twice taking the lead through Antoine Griezmann, who afterwards said he was “p***ed off” at what transpired in Seville.

Messi will now be suspended for two games, but the ban could be doubled when the Royal Spanish Football Federation’s competition committee meet this week to discuss it.

The Barca skipper will miss Thursday’s Copa de Rey trip to face third-tier Cornella and Sunday’s La Liga game away to Elche.

Messi could also miss the next round of the Copa if Barca progress, and the visit of Bilbao in La Liga on January 31.

The forward had passed a late fitness to start Sunday’s Supercopa final, after missing the semi-final victory over Real Sociedad.

It is Messi’s first red card in 753 for Barcelona and the fourth of his career overall.

He has been sent off twice playing for Argentina, including on his debut in 2005, and was dismissed during a Barca B game the same year.