Soccer

Lionel Messi yellow card appeal rejected despite bottle throwing incident

The Argentine international delayed celebrations after being hit on the head by a bottle against Valencia

FC Barcelona’s Argentinian striker Leo Messi grabing a plastic bottle that hit his head during the Primera Division soccer match against Valencia FC. Photogaph: Juan Carlos Cardenas/Epa
FC Barcelona’s Argentinian striker Leo Messi grabing a plastic bottle that hit his head during the Primera Division soccer match against Valencia FC. Photogaph: Juan Carlos Cardenas/Epa
Wed Dec 03 2014 - 16:04

Barcelona's appeal against Lionel Messi's yellow card for time wasting after he was hit on the head by a plastic bottle in Sunday's La Liga game at Valencia has been rejected by the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF).

Messi was celebrating Barca’s 94th-minute winner with his team mates near the corner flag at the Mestalla stadium when the bottle was thrown from the stands. The incident was clearly captured on television replays.

Messi was examined by a member of Barcelona’s medical staff after the final whistle and despite clutching at his head he did not appear to be seriously injured, defiantly giving the thumbs-up to the Valencia fans as he walked off the pitch.

The RFEF’s competition committee confirmed the caution in a statement published on the federation’s website (www.rfef.es) on Wednesday, rejecting the appeal Barca lodged on Tuesday.

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Life-time ban

The referee said in his match report the card was shown because Messi “delayed his return to his half of the pitch after the goal was scored with the intention of wasting time”.

Valencia vowed to ban the bottle-throwing fan from the Mestalla for life once the person had been identified.

Barca's 1-0 win kept them hard on the heels of leaders Real Madrid who are two points clear of their arch-rivals after 13 matches thanks to Saturday's 2-1 victory at Malaga.