Told Lionel Messi to 'show some respect' and not to waste time in 2019 UCL semis: Referee

The Barcelona vs Liverpool 2019 Champions League semi-final in 2019 will invoke some painful memories for the players and the supporters of the latter as the Reds romped to a historic 4-0 win at Anfield, en route their 6th European success. The clash had its fair share of controversy after Divock Origi scored the winner in the second half. While the Blaugrana suffered one of their worst Champions Nights, Lionel Messi endured further humiliation when he was berated by a referee midway during the clash. 

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Lionel Messi time-wasting: Referee Bjorn Kuipers slams Argentine during Barcelona vs Liverpool 

Referee Bjorn Kuipers has accused Lionel Messi for showing lack of respect during Barcelona's ill-fated Champions League semi-final against Liverpool. Kuipers' criticism was revealed in a new documentary entitled Man in the Middle which is set to air later this month. UEFA's documentary series tracked 16 top officials with unprecedented access to their professional and personal lives for 18 months including Premier League officials Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor.

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Messi was allegedly time wasting during the first leg at Camp Nou vs Liverpool, with Barcelona holding a 3-0 advantage over the Reds. As reported by Marca, Kuipers told the six-time Ballon d'Or winner: “Messi! Come on! Hurry up and show me respect, you always do the same! Come on now!” as he pointed at the Respect logo on his sleeve. The 33-year-old's alleged time wasting came back to haunt him as Jurgen Klopp's side mounted a scarcely believable comeback at Anfield to win the tie 4-3. Liverpool went on to win the Champions League title in Madarid, beating fellow Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the final. 

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Uefa refereeing chief Roberto Rosetti said that the Man in the Middle documentary is very important for UEFA and their family of referees. The documentary highlights the professionalism, motivation and dedication of some of Europe's best officials, as well as showing the human beings behind the men seen on the pitch by players and supporters. The Man in the Middle documentary also features behind-the-scenes to conversations between top officials and stars, provindng an unprecedented insight into the life as a match official.

Man in the Middle is the first original documentary series produced for UEFA’s own digital video platform and will be free to air on Uefa.tv. The documentary will also include officials’ personal verdicts on several key video assistant referee (VAR) incidents since the technology's introduction. 

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(Image Courtesy: Lionel Messi Instagram)