Barcelona appeal against Messi two-game ban rejected

Barcelona's Lionel Messi walks out of the pitch after being shown a red card during the Spanish Supercopa final soccer match against FC Barcelona at La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021. (AP)

Barcelona’s appeal against Lionel Messi’s two-match ban following his sending-off in the Spanish Super Cup final was rejected on Friday, sources from the Spanish Football Federation told AFP.

It means the Argentine will not be able to play for Barcelona in Sunday’s game away at Elche in La Liga.

Messi served the first match of his suspension as the Catalans won 2-0 in extra time away to near neighbours Cornella, of Spain’s third-tier Segunda B division, on Thursday in the Copa del Rey.

He was sent off late in extra time in Sunday’s Super Cup final in Seville against Athletic Bilbao, which Barcelona lost 3-2.

Messi saw the first red card of his Barcelona career, on his 753rd appearance, for lashing out at Athletic’s Asier Villalibre.