Lionel Messi has been fined 600 euros for his tribute to the late Diego Maradona. After his goal in the home game won against Osasuna (4-0) on Sunday, the Argentinian exchanged his match shirt for an old outfit of Newell’s Old Boys, the club where Messi and Maradona both played for.
Messi signed for 4-0 in the 73rd minute and then paid tribute to Maradona. His legendary compatriot, one of the greatest footballers of all time, died last week at the age of sixty from the consequences of cardiac arrest.
Under the rules, a player who takes off his shirt will be punished with a yellow card and referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz ‘just’ adhered to it, even though his controversial decision was met with criticism.
The maximum penalty for taking the shirt off is 3,000 euros, so Messi seems to have been somewhat spared by the disciplinary committee with a fine of 600 euros. FC Barcelona was punished with a fine of 350 euros. Chances are that the Catalans will still appeal.
Messi’s yellow card will remain for the time being. It was the third time this season that he was banned. Trainer Ronald Koeman called the tribute of his star player “a great moment in all respects”.
The 33-year-old Messi played between 1995 and 2000 as a youth player with Newell’s Old Boys from Rosario, Argentina. Maradona was under contract for a season as a professional just before.
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Lionel Messi paid tribute to Diego Maradona on Sunday. (Photo: Pro Shots)
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