Sports
What Lionel Messi told referee after Barcelona star’s disallowed goal against Valencia
LIONEL MESSI’s exchange with officials has been reported after Barcelona were denied a clear goal against Valencia.
Valencia keeper Neto fumbled Messi’s shot over the line in the top-of-the-table clash, as a lack of goal-line technology cost La Liga’s leaders.
Messi and team-mates wheeled away in celebration, but were stunned when referee Ignacio Iglesias failed to give it.
Mundo Deportivo say that a conversation between Messi and officials was picked up on the officials’ microphones.
Messi is reported to have said to Iglesias and his assistant Enrique Ramos: “You are wrong, now you are going to see it.”
Ramos then replied: “It was not clear.”
Iglesias chipped in with: “As I’m not sure, it’s not a goal.”
Messi appeared to have a brief conversation with Barca goalkeeping coach Jose Ramon de la Fuente.
The Argentinian magician then gestures at officials and says: “The line is here and the ball is here.”
But Iglesias replies: “I was not sure, we’re going to see it inside.”
The game was goalless at half-time and finished 1-1, with Barca leading Valencia by four points in the standings.
Spain’s top flight is the only one of Europe’s leading five leagues which has so far shunned the use of goal-line technology, much to the frustration of the teams.
Last season Barca were not awarded a goal despite television replays showing the ball had crossed the line during a 1-1 draw with Real Betis.
The Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) announced this month that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system would used in the league from the start of next season, joining Germany’s Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A.