Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman’s defense was not late in his decision to start Lionel Messi in the Spanish
Super Cup final, Sunday, after the Argentine player was directly sent off, for the first time in his career with
the club during a 3-2 defeat by Athletic Bilbao, after extra time.
Messi missed the Super Cup semi-final victory, last Wednesday, against Real Sociedad due to injury, but before
the final, Koeman said he would allow the player to make the appropriate decision about his physical fitness.
“I think after so many years at the highest levels, he knows when he can play and when he cannot. I spoke to him
and he said he was ready enough to start the match,” the Dutch coach told reporters after the loss.
Messi appeared strong at the beginning, and contributed effectively to the goal of progress, but he felt tired with
the passage of time, and gradually out of the air.
And he got frustrated with Messi as he reached the height of anger in the last minute of extra time, and attacked
Bilbao player Asier Bialebri, before the video assistant referee intervened and caused his expulsion directly.
“I understand what Messi did … I do not know how many mistakes were made against him, and it is natural
to react when trying to commit a foul against a player looking to dribble the ball, but I need to see the shot
again clearly.”
And with Messi receiving a red card due to violence, he will likely face a suspension of 4 matches in the Spanish
League and the King’s Cup.
Barcelona will play with its neighbors Cornia in the 32nd round of the Copa del Rey in the middle of the week,
knowing that it is third in the Spanish League, 7 points behind leaders Atletico Madrid, who has two postponed matches.
