Lionel Messi: Should Argentina star have been sent off against the Netherlands? | OneFootball

Lionel Messi was fortunate not to be shown a second yellow card for a deliberate handball during Argentina’s dramatic World Cup quarter final against the Netherlands.

Messi’s side progressed to the semi finals after triumphing on penalties against a Dutch side that came back from 2-0 down.

Argentina had led 2-0 thanks to Nahuel Molina’s first half strike before Messi’s penalty in 73rd minute.

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But should Messi have been sent off 20 minutes before his goal?

The Paris Saint-Germain superstar appeared to deliberately handle the ball in an attempt to get past Nathan Ake. Messi had already been shown a yellow card.

Should Messi have been sent off?

However, Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz opted not to caution Messi again and dimiss him from the pitch.

It was a decision that many fans believe was wrong and Messi should have been sent off.

It was summed up best by the commentary on BBC.

Commentator Jonathan Pearce saw Virgil van Dijk arguing with the referee in an attempt to convince him to send Messi off.

Pearce said: “A wry smile, because he knows why he wasn’t booked. Because he’s Lionel Messi.”

Co-commentator Martin Keown added: “He’s got a halo around his head. We know he’s a footballing god so he gets away with everything.”

Messi’s penalty appeared to send Argentina comfortably into the semi finals but Wout Weghorst had other ideas.

He made things interesting in the 83rd minute with a fine header before a well-worked set piece saw the Netherlands equalise through Weghorst in the 90+11th minute.

Wow.

But it was heartbreak for Louis van Gaal’s men, who eventually lost on penalties after misses from Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis.

Messi: FIFA cannot use this kind of referee

Despite appearing to be lucky not to be sent off, Messi criticised the official after the match.

“I don’t want to talk about the referee because they sanction you for being honest,” he said. I think people saw what it was. FIFA cannot use this kind of referee for this type of match.”

Martinez: The ref wanted the Netherlands to score

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez added: “The ref was giving everything to them. He gave ten minutes [added time] for no reason, ten minutes.

“He was giving free-kicks outside the box for them two or three times – he just wanted them to score, that’s basically it.

“So hopefully we don’t have that referee anymore, because he’s useless.”

Argentina will now face Croatia in the semi final on Tuesday. They will go into the last four clash as favourites to progress to the final despite Croatia getting the better of Brazil in a penalty shootout earlier on Friday.

After the comments from Messi and Martinez, wouldn’t it be fun if FIFA ignored them and decided to give Mr. Lahoz the opportunity to officiate them once again?

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Which city was Lionel Messi born and raised?

Buenos Aires Rosario Mendoza Cordoba