Argentina are in the process of appealing the verdict but the player is already openly protesting his innocence.

'My comments were never directed at the first assistant, they were comments made to the air,' Messi told La Nacion.

Messi said 'la concha de tu madre', which translates as 'your mother's ****' — a common cursing phrase in Argentina — in the direction of Brazilian linesman Emerson Augusto do Carvalho at the end of the match after being harried and fouled by Chile's Jean Beausejour.

The official patted him on the head and tried to calm him down but Messi continued ranting.

Carvalho said later he did not understand at the time what Messi was saying.

Read more on : https://footballmade.com/lionel-messi-speaks-out-my-comments-were-made-to-the-air/

Se ode ni bobo yi ni? You went to meet someone after match and insulted him to his face and you say your words were to the air, was the man air n'tori oloun?

Meanwhile: .....

Messi be taking niggas for fools.