Messi facing lengthy suspension for hitting opponent

MADRID (AP) - After losing the Spanish Super Cup last, Barcelona is likewise at risk for losing Lionel Messi for an all-encompassing period after he hit a rival around the finish of the match.

Messi could be suspended for up to 12 games for the red card he got in the last minutes of his group's 3-2 misfortune to Athletic Bilbao in Seville on Sunday.

In the wake of passing the ball out to one side flank, Messi swung his correct arm toward the head of Athletic forward Asier Villalibre as they ran forward toward the case. Villalibre quickly tumbled to the ground and Messi was given his first red card in quite a while for Barcelona.

Ref Gil Manzano said in his match report that Messi hit his adversary with ''unnecessary power'' while the ball was not close to him.

The Spanish soccer alliance's rivalries advisory group will settle on the charges against Messi, and the player's possible suspension could go from one to three matches or from four to 12 matches, contingent upon how serious the league thinks about the occurrence.

Barcelona was at that point setting up its protection paying little mind to the charges that would be introduced by the organization against its player.

Whenever saw as blameworthy, Messi will be suspended for matches in the Spanish group or the Copa del Rey. Barcelona is in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey and trails Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in the group.

Messi was obviously baffled as the match went on and Barcelona attempted to recuperate from its shortage against Athletic. The Catalan club twice surrendered leads, including yielding a 90th-minute equalizer scored by Villalibre. Antoine Griezmann scored both Barcelona objectives, with Messi aiding the first.

The thrashing cost Barcelona an opportunity to end a title dry spell that has waited from last season, the club's first without a title since 2007-08.

While it was Messi's first red card for his club, he has been shipped off twice while playing for Argentina's public group, remembering a couple of moments into his introduction for an agreeable against Hungary in 2005. The other time was in the 2019 Copa America in a match against Chile. He was likewise shipped off once while playing for Barcelona's ''B'' group.

Messi, who requested to leave the club in the offseason however had his solicitation denied, is having a normal season contrasted with earlier years, having scored 14 objectives in 22 matches with Barcelona. He was a long way from his best on Sunday notwithstanding assisting set with increasing the group's first objective.

Messi had been dubious to play in the last due to an unknown wellness issue that had caused mentor Ronald Koeman to avoid him with regard to the elimination round against Real Sociedad on Wednesday, when Barcelona won in a punishment shootout.

Barcelona's next match is on Thursday at Cornella in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey.

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