Funny thing here is that referees didn't report anything, nor do that say what was the actual insult. In relation Neymar got just 3 matches when he went absolutely beserk in the last Copa America. I've to conclude that Fifa actually wants Argentina out of World Cup, which could be because AFA is corrupt, but who knows. Fifa is also open supporter of Fakenaldo, and Perez may have ties in the decision committee, which might be the cause of this. All in all quite surreal that you get 4 match ban from an unknown insult, when referees didn't even report you. Never heard anything like that in my life.
Don't recall Xavi struggling .....I reckon with his vision Messi could etch himself down as one of the best midfielders ever and extend his career till 39 or 40 . I know they are planning to move him back into midfield it's just now and when .....
After what has happened with FIFA, RFEF, LFP and other football insititutions relatively? Are you freaking serious?
The only BS was the delay of the Ballon d'Or vote which was done to save Blatter's face for his leake comments praising Messi and mocking Ronaldo. Then again, only fan boys care about the Ballon d'Or as a measuring stick. I wish that whole thing just went away but the top players egos need to be brushed. Everything else are your crazy conspiracy theories.
2013 Ballon d'Or, LFP 12-13 (invented new awards) and 13-14 awards (didn't include Messi to the vote even when he scored league winning wrongfully outruled goal), Perez pal prosecutor sentenced Messi from 5M tax evasion and let Fakenaldo go with 150M tax evasion and lets not even go with RFEF in any season... I could go on and on but why bother?
I was scared for a moment when I read the headline on ESPN, but then I say that it didn't affect Barcelona
TBH only in football to players get away with so much trash talking and abuse.... In every other sport (namely the North American ones), if you look at a ref wrong you get ejections or technical fouls and then the league comes down on you. In football I've seen players being aggressive and refs being swarmed... FFS I saw Turan when he was with atletico throw a shoe at the linesmen and nothing was done... A SHOE! I don't care who it is... if you confront a ref, with or without physical or verbal abuse. You need to be suspended.. The fact that there's one person here twisting them selves in a pretzel trying to defend messi's actions is incomprehensible :/
This. In SA you used to be able to touch and even chest the ref and get away with it. Messi went out of his way to insult the ref and let me add, for no good reason as the play he was protesting the ref got it right. Not to mention that Argentina won the game, he could have just let it go. When Neymar got suspended I was glad. He needed an ego check.
Taylor gets 2 match ban for double fracture tackle, Fakenaldo gets 0 games for telling the referee "******** you", Neymar gets 3 games for not only insulting the referee, but also grabbing him and the referee actually reporting the incident. Here comes Messi, gets 4 games from insulting the ref based on lip reading from a video that somebody sent to Fifa. I mean omg if that doesn't prove relative bias against Messi for even the smallest brains, nothing does.
Argentina with Messi in WCQ18 15 points in 6 games, without 7 points in 8 games. Brazil without Pele won the World Cup, Argentina without Maradona won back to back Copa Americas, Argentina without Messi can't even freaking qualify to World Cup. Puts Messi carrying them in three major finals really into perspective.
Argentina competitive match history per captain 71% win, Messi 27-6-5 in 38 matches, 3x final 64% win, Ayala 28-8-8 in 44 matches, 2x final, 2x quarter-final 59% win, Maradona 20-7-7 in 34 matches, title, final, 3rd, 4th, round 16 42% win, Mascherano 10-6-8 in 24 matches, 2x quarter-final
You can either believe the Brazilian linesman didn't understand the insult at first, or as you said that it's hard to believe, he did understand it in which case, he tried to give Messi a pass. While Neymar , Medel, Vaildivia all received a red car and 4 games suspension and therefore never got that benefit from the refs. So basically you're complaining that Messi did not get preferential treatment.
Why are you even here and in the Argentina forum? You aren't an Argentine, Argentina supporter, Barca supporter, or a Messi fan. Neymar got 3 games from the insult, for doing worse, and ref reported it. Medel got 3 games from the insult, and ref reported it. Messi got 4 games, from referee not reporting it by lip reading it from a video that someone sent them. Oh yeah and Fakenaldo got 0 games from insulting the ref. Can you get this relative bias through your thick skull already?