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Atletico Fan Throws Umbrella at Lionel Messi After Game-Winner for Barcelona
December 2, 2019
An Atletico Madrid fan threw an umbrella at Lionel Messi after he scored the decisive goal in Barcelona's 1-0 win against them on Sunday.
Per Sport, some Atleti fans reacted particularly badly to Messi's 86th-minute winner and threw objects on to the pitch, among them an umbrella, according to referee Mateu Lahoz's post-game report.
Lahoz, who had to pick up all the objects on the turf at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, wrote: "Various objects were thrown, without hitting any player, highlighting a black umbrella."
After a thrilling game in which both sides failed to convert their chances—with Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen responsible for several excellent saves—Messi notched the winner shortly before the end of normal time:
In scoring the goal, the Argentinian reached yet another landmark in his storied career:
FC Barcelona @FCBarcelona#Messi has now scored in all La Liga stadiums! Camp Nou Son Moix Balaídos C de Valencia Sánchez-Pizjuán El Sadar Alfonso Pérez Mestalla Bernabéu Zorrilla Est. de la Cerámica Villamarín Anoeta N Los Cármenes RCDE Stad. San Mamés Ipurua Butarque Mendizorroza Wanda Metropolitano 🐐 https://t.co/gQwWkZDxxo
Even Atletico boss Diego Simeone had to praise him after the match:
There's more than half of the season still to be played, but Messi's goal has inflicted a significant dent on Atleti's title chances.
The defeat leaves Los Rojiblancos six points behind Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The two teams have a game in hand over Atleti as well, because their Clasico had to be rescheduled from October 26 until December 18, so one of their two biggest rivals could be nine points ahead of them by the winter break.
As for Messi, he now has 11 goals in 14 matches in all competitions for Barcelona this season, including nine in as many La Liga appearances.