New footage reveals that Messi was asked by the referee to show some respect during the 2018/19 UCL encounter with Liverpool.
Liverpool did an impossible thing when they produced a comeback win against Barcelona in the 18/19 Champions League semifinals and went on to win the title in the end.
Although Liverpool won the second leg, the first leg belonged to Barca as Lionel Messi displayed a masterclass, scoring a brace including a spectacular free-kick goal.
It was also during the first-leg when the referee Bjorn Kuipers demanded Messi to show some respect after he was caught wasting time.
In a new four-part series called Man in the Middle, which focuses on the referees, The Dutch referee was spotted yelling at Blaugrana skipper for wasting time.
“Messi, come on, show some respect, “
Every time you do it!”
Barca failed to capitalise on the 3- 0 lead as they succumbed to 4-0 defeat by Liverpool in the return leg at Anfield.
Even the Argentine skipper admitted that defeat was insufferable and also hard to get over with.
“[The Liverpool game] was a really hard blow that we received; for me and the rest of the players.”
“It was hard to get back up. It was a really hard blow – We played a terrible game.
“It can happen one year but to happen two years in a row…. to have the chance to be in a Champions League final – that cannot be allowed.”
Barca’s Champions League woes continued the following season as well as they suffered a humiliating 8-2 defeat against Bayern Munich in quarterfinals.
