Barcelona superstar Messi sees red as Bilbao claim Super Cup glory:
Spain: Lionel Messi sent off playing for Barcelona for the first time as Athletic. Bilbao shocked the Catalans to lift the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday (January 17th), after extra time, a dramatic final 3-2 finish. Barcelona superstar Messi sees red. Messi flung an arm at Asier Villalibre had earlier scored a 90th-minute equalizer. In normal time to deny Barca victory moments. Before Bilbao momentous triumph confirmed the double of Antoine Griezmann looked to have sealed the trophy. But Villalibre intervened before the fabulous strike of Inaki Williams three minutes into extra time proved decisive.
Messi shook off a thigh problem to start in Seville. He was required to play all 120 minutes as Barcelona. Tried to take the game to penalties.
Instead, at the end of a combative contest, the 33-year-old lost his temper, responding to a late challenge from Villalibre by chasing and raising his fist to his rival. In 753 appearances for Barcelona, this meant a first red card, to go with his two reds for Argentina in 2005 and 2019. Messi’s indignation would take some of the limelight away from Bilbao, who had already denied a Clasico final of the competition by beating Real Madrid on Thursday in the semi and now finished the package.
Spanish Football Federation’s organizer:
For Marcelino Garcia Toral, who only took over as coach less than two weeks ago, it means a title and the perfect start. But there was also support for his predecessor, Gaizka Garitano, who supervised this team reaching last season’s Copa del Rey final, securing the first-place qualification.
The Spanish Football Federation’s organizer would have hoped for a Clasicos worldwide appeal. Since the coronavirus pandemic had already held the tournament. In Spain the lucrative Saudi Arabia, where it was played last year. Barca came on the back of an undefeated nine-game run and, in recent weeks, a trophy, even a small one, would have converted promising signs into more concrete proof of Ronald Koeman’s revival.
In the first half, Bilbao was the better side, more decisive in the possession, and more violent outside of it. But for 40 minutes, both teams created nothing and then both scored in two minutes. Each of them created a genius pass, Messi the instigator for Barca.
