Live Barcelona Blog: Lionel Messi will not attend FIFA's The Best Awards ceremony

Sport360 staff 14:55 24/09/2018
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  • Welcome to today’s Barcelona blog. Niall and the rest of the Sport360 team will be with you throughout the day with the latest news, rumours and insights from the Camp Nou.

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    15:00 – Messi will not attend The Best award ceremony

    Lionel Messi will not attend the FIFA Best Award ceremony in London tonight.

    The Argentine was expected to attend the gala in the English capital which will crown one of Luka Modric, Ronaldo or Mohamed Salah as the player of the year, but he has now decided not to attend.

    Barcelona’s frustrating 2-2 draw with Girona may have affected his decision.

    12:00 – Busquets laments Lenglet’s dismissal

    Sergio Busquets lamented Lenglet’s dismissal as Barcelona dropped two points in their 2-2 draw against Girona.

    He told Sport: “Maybe there’s contact, you can see that in the images, but the ball’s on the ground and the movement Clement makes is a natural one.

    “It’s not an act of aggression, he wasn’t looking to do that. Even the Girona player apologised because he made a foul. VAR has to be used in the correct way and with consistent criteria.

    9:00 – Valverde unhappy with Lenglet red card

    Ernesto Valverde was unhappy with the VAR system as 10-man Barcelona surrendered their 100 per cent start to the season in an eventful 2-2 Catalan derby draw with Girona.

    Barca had defender Clement Lenglet sent off 10 minutes before the break at the Nou Camp after he caught Riera Pere Pons with his elbow with referee Gil Manzano producing a red card after being invited to view video footage of the incident.

    However, manager Valverde, whose side was leading 1-0 at the time, was not convinced the officials had got it right.

    He told La Liga TV: “Well, there’s a clash, that’s clear and there’s an elbow, we have seen that in the photo. It’s the first red card that (the) person who is on the receiving end of it says sorry, and that’s Lenglet.

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