Gimnastic player Javier Ribelles claims Lionel Messi called him an "idiot" and an "a**hole" during a friendly match with Barcelona at the weekend.
Messi, 33, was making his first appearance for the Catalans since reversing his decision to leave the club this summer. He played the first 45 minutes of the game as Barcelona ran out 3-1 winners over Gimnastic de Tarragona, who play in the third tier of Spanish football.
Messi's incredible trickery and dribbling ability means he is often subject to late and heavy-handed challenges by opposition players.
But the Argentine superstar was especially unhappy with his treatment at the hands of midfielder Ribelles. After the match, the 28-year-old claimed Messi said: "What are you doing, idiot?
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