Published 22:00 IST, December 2nd 2019
Lionel Messi nearly hit by umbrella thrown by Atletico fan after scoring late winner
Lionel Messi scored a brilliant goal to guide Barcelona to victory against Atletico Madrid. The Atletico fans reacted violently, throwing objects on the pitch.
The Barcelona-Atletico Madrid clash was always going to be a close contest considering the emotions involved. While it was certain that Antoine Griezmann, the former Atletico Madrid forward who moved to Barcelona in the summer transfer window, will not have a generous welcome, the fans saved some of their antics quite literally for Lionel Messi. The Barcelona No.10 was influential as ever on the field, capping off with a brilliant 86th-minute winner for his side.
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Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona: Umbrella hurled at Lionel Messi
While Barcelona fans across the globe celebrated Lionel Messi’s touch of brilliance, Atletico supporters at the stadium weren’t that appreciative. The supporters’ who constantly jeered, abused and whistled at Griezmann, crossed the line when they threw objects onto the pitch after Messi’s goal. One of those was a black umbrella, which missed Lionel Messi and was later picked up by match referee Mateu Lahouz. The referee in his match report wrote that a lot of things were thrown onto the pitch without hitting the players, of which most striking was the umbrella aimed at Messi.
Lionel Messi's winner takes Barcelona to the top of LaLiga
Lionel Messi’s goal meant that Barcelona added three more points to their points tally, moving them to the top of the LaLiga table ahead of Real Madrid. The Catalan club have accumulated 31 points from 14 games, with Lionel Messi leading the club’s goal scoring and assists charts. Real Madrid have also managed to win 31 points and would look to go ahead of their arch-rivals when the two teams clash in the El Clasico on December 19. Atletico Madrid have struggled with injuries and form this campaign and are 6th in the LaLiga table, amassing 25 points from their 15 games.
Updated 22:32 IST, December 2nd 2019