Arguably the greatest ever player to grace the football field, Diego Maradona passed away on 25th November. It will be remembered as one of the black days of world football. The whole fraternity was mourning the great loss.
Barcelona played Osasuna on the following weekend where they won comfortably by a 4-0 scoreline. The highlight of the match came in the 73rd minute when Lionel Messi scored a goal and opened his shirt to reveal a Newell’s shirt with number 10 written on it as a tribute to Maradona.
Newell’s Old Boys was the last club Maradona played for before hanging up his football boots. The Argentine club was also the first place where Messi started playing football before signing for Barcelona.
But match referee, Mateu Lahoz, had no option other than showing Messi a yellow card for removing his Barcelona shirt. He wrote in the match report: “In minute 73 the player (10) Messi Cuccittini, Lionel Andres was booked for the following reason.”
“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.”
This means that Messi’s tribute to Maradona has now been officially recorded in the Spanish football history.
According to a report, the Competition Committee has issued a warning to Messi as well as fined him €600 for infraction of article 91 of the Disciplinary Code. The fine levied is quite marginal as it could have gone up to €3,000.
Barcelona have also been fined €350 in accordance with article 52 of the Disciplinary Code. The Catalan club is expected to appeal the sanction before the Competition Committee in the coming days.
