Lionel Messi fined €600 for Diego Maradona tribute

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has been fined €600 by the Competition Committee in relation to the yellow card the player received at the weekend against Osasuna according to a report in Diario Sport.

Messi was booked for taking off his Barcelona shirt after scoring a goal to reveal a Newell’s Old Boys shirt beneath, in a tribute to the late Argentine legend Diego Maradona who passed away earlier that week.

Messi has been issued a warning by the Competition Committee as well as a fine of €600 for infraction of article 91 of the Disciplinary Code.

It’s a mild sanction given that it could have reached €3,000. Barcelona have been fined €350 in accordance with article 52 of the Disciplinary Code.

Barcelona are expected to appeal the sanction before the Competition Committee, following the precedent set by previous incidents involving Jose Callejon and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The referee who booked Messi, Mateu Lahoz, had no choice to issue the yellow card, and recorded in his match report exactly for why.

“In minute 73 the player (10) Messi Cuccittini, Lionel Andres was booked for the following reason,” the report said.

“For removing his shirt, after scoring a goal, showing a new shirt of the Newell’s Old Boys team, from the 93/94 season, with the number 10 on the back.”

Lahoz’s report means that the incident is now officially recorded in Spanish football history.