Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi, could be banned for up to four matches after receiving the first red card of his career in their 3-2 defeat to Athletic Bilbao in Sunday’s Spanish Supercopa final.
Antoine Griezmann scored twice as Barca looked on course to win Ronald Koeman’s first trophy for the club.
But Asier Villalibre’s 90th-minute goal dragged the game into extra time.
Inaki Williams gave Athletic the lead in the 94th minute, and with time running out, Messi was sent off for lashing out at Villalibre in frustration.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation’s competition committee will meet this week to decide the length of the 33-year-old’s suspension.
Messi Is certain to miss two matches, but that could be doubled depending on how the competition committee categorize the dismissal.
The ban will be served across La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
Therefore, he will miss Thursday’s Copa trip to third-division side Cornella and next weekend’s fixture against Elche in LaLiga.
If the ban is longer, he would be unavailable for the next round of the Copa if Barca progress and the match against Athletic at Camp Nou on January 31.
