Gary Medel has backed Lionel Messi following their red-card altercation on Saturday night.
The incident occurred during the Copa America third-place play-off between Messi’s Argentina and Medel’s Chile, and saw both players receive their marching orders.
The pair confronted each other after the ball ran behind for a Chile goal-kick in the 37th minute, with Medel certainly the aggressor in the situation, as he repeatedly pushed his head and chest towards the Barcelona man.
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However, despite the protracted complaints from Messi and his team-mates, La Albiceleste were reduced to 10 men near the end of the first half.