Barcelona to use Real Madrid precedent to appeal Messi yellow card for Maradona celebration | OneFootball

Barcelona are set to use a legal precedent from El Clasico rivals Real Madrid to appeal the yellow card given to Lionel Messi for his goal tributes to Diego Maradona against Osasuna.

Messi delivered a touching Maradona tribute after netting in the clash during Sunday’s La Liga action in an iconic image which dominated Spanish newspapers coverage on Monday.

Messi’s strike was remarkably similar to a Maradona goal whilst playing for Newell’s Old Boys, and the Blaugrana star’s tribute saw him unveil a shirt of the Argentine club in honour of his compatriot.

However, upon the resumption of play, the Argentine was booked by the referee and the club will now have to pay €3k to the Spanish FA for the tribute, according to Diario AS.

According to article 91 of the FA’s Disciplinary Code: “The footballer who, on the occasion of having scored a goal or for any cause derived from the vicissitudes of the game, raises his shirt and displays any kind of advertising, slogan, legend, acronyms, anagrams or drawings, whatever their content or the purpose of the action, will be punished, as the author of a serious offence, with a fine of up to €3,000 and a warning.”

However, Barça’s legal team now plan to appeal the yellow card and will use the precedent of Sergio Ramos – then at Madrid – paying tribute in 2007 to Antonio Puerta, his former teammate at Sevilla.

Madrid successfully lodged an appeal against that booking on sentimental grounds and the Barcelona news of Diario Sport states that the Catalan club are confident that will see the booking overturned in Messi news.