Lionel Messi was sent off for the first time in his Barcelona career in the closing stages of extra-time as they lost 2-3 to Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday.

Messi, who returned to the starting line-up after missing the semi-final victory over Real Sociedad through injury, was dismissed after striking Asier Villalibre in the final minute. Given that the red card — after VAR review —was shown for violent conduct, Messi is likely to face a four-game ban across Spanish League and the Copa del Rey.

“I can understand what Messi did,” Barca coach Ronald Koeman said. “I don’t know how many times they fouled him, and it’s normal to react when they keep trying to foul you as a player who is looking to dribble with the ball, but I need to see it again properly.”

The Spanish website Sport, however, quoted the referee, Gil Manzano, as saying after the match that Messi had been sent off for “hitting an opponent with his arm using excessive force while the ball was in play but not at a distance from being played”.

Some observers say that by using the word “hitting”, instead of “attacking”, the referee may have given Messi a route to escape a longer suspension.

Though Sunday saw Messi sent off for the first time with Barcelona, it was not the first red card of his career.

He has been sent off for Argentina on two occasions, including famously on his international debut (against Hungary in 2005), which lasted just a minute before he was red-carded as a substitute.

His other red card came in the 2019 Copa America third-place play-off, when he was dismissed while serving as captain of his side.

The Argentine had been heavily involved in a more positive way as Barca took the lead five minutes before the break on Sunday. Messi’s goalbound effort was blocked, falling to the feet of Antoine Griezmann, who netted the first of his two goals.

Bilbao’s responded as Oscar De Marcos met Inaki Williams’ cross two minutes later to send the sides in level at halftime.

Raul Garcia’s header was disallowed for offside by VAR after the restart as Bilbao had the better chances in a tense affair. However, French forward Griezmann looked to have won it for the Catalans with a goal against the run of play 14 minutes from time, only for substitute Villalibre to volley home in the 90th minute to send the game into extra time.

Three minutes into the additional half-hour, Williams curled a stunning effort into the far corner from the edge of the box to give Bilbao the lead. A third Super Cup title is Bilbao’s first silverware since they claimed the same trophy in 2015 with a 5-1 aggregate win over Barcelona.

‘Angry, annoyed’

After the match, a furious Griezmann criticised Barcelona’s lack of leadership in defence. “I’m angry, annoyed, peeved. Every single bad feeling you can have after losing a final,” he said.

Barca have struggled to defend dead ball situations in big games in recent years, conceding from corners in their Champions League eliminations to AS Roma and Liverpool.

They are currently missing defensive lynchpin Gerard Pique, who is likely to be out until March with a knee problem, and are sorely missing his presence at the back.

“We knew that Marcelino’s side’s press well and they played well, but we made so many strategic mistakes.

“We defended poorly and weren’t communicating on set-pieces: important little details like when the ball is cleared or when we need to push out, someone needs to be shouting.”