Has Lionel Messi escaped ANOTHER red card?

Has Lionel Messi escaped ANOTHER red card? Barcelona talisman appears to elbow Sevilla’s Joan Jordan in feisty Copa del Rey defeat… just a month after being sent off for the first time at club level for an punching opponent

  • Lionel Messi was involved in a heated off-the-ball incident with Joan Jordan 
  • The Barcelona forward appeared to elbow the Sevilla midfielder on Wednesday 
  • The Argentine escaped a red card with his opponent booked for the clash 
  • Messi was sent off for Barca last month after punching Asier Villalibre 

Lionel Messi escaped being sent off for violent conduct in Barcelona’s defeat by Sevilla on Wednesday – one month after his first red card for the club for punching an opponent.

Messi cut a frustrated figure as Barca lost the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final and he became involved in a heated off-the-ball incident with Joan Jordan with the forward appearing to elbow his opponent. 

The clash happened mid-way through the second half with Jordan bringing Messi down after the Argentine had nut-megged him.

Lionel Messi escaped a red card after appearing to elbow Sevilla’s Joan Jordan on Wednesday

The Argentine put his arm across his opponent who fell to the ground in front of the referee

The forward was attempting to get the ball back after being fouled by the Sevilla midfielder

The Sevilla midfielder picked up the ball to prevent Barca from taking a quick free-kick. 

Messi rushed over to knock the ball out of Jordan’s hands but put his arm across his opponent’s face in the process.

The midfielder immediately went down in front of referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz but it was Jordan, not Messi, who was booked by the official.

The Sevilla midfielder was the one who ended up receiving a caution for the incident

The Argentine’s arm definitely caught the Sevilla man but it is unclear how much contact he actually made. 

Goals from Jules Kounde and former Barca man Ivan Rakitic sealed a 2-0 victory for the hosts with the second leg due to take place on February 27. 

Messi was sent off for the first time in his Barcelona career last month for hitting out at Athletic Bilbao’s Asier Villalibre in the last few minutes of the Spanish Super Cup final – which Barca lost 3-2. 

Referee Gil Manzano said in his match report that Messi hit his opponent with ‘excessive force’ while the ball was not near him. 

Despite footage clearly showing Messi lashing out at Villalibre, Barca appealed his two-match ban but their plea was rejected by the Spanish FA.

Messi was sent off for the first time in his Barca career against Athletic Bilbao last month

Koeman backed Messi after his first red card, claiming his reaction was understandable due to the treatment he had received.

‘I can understand what Messi did,’ the Dutchman said after the match. 

‘I don’t know how many times they fouled him, and it’s normal to react when they keep trying to foul you as a player who is looking to dribble with the ball, but I need to see it again properly.’ 




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