See What Messi Did After Barca Draw With Girona

• - After the match, the Argentine openly snubbed a routine handshake from the match arbiters - Barcelona lost their perfect start to the season after the encounter ended in a draw A visibly angry Lionel Messi refused to shake the referee’s hand as Barcelona were forced to a 2-2 draw by a resilient Girona side to end the Catalans perfect start to the season.

Messi, despite finding the net for the fifth time this season was left a frustrated figure at the end of the game and he let his feelings towards referee Jesus Gil Manzano known.

The talking point in the game came in the 35th minute when Barca defender Clement Lenglet was shown a straight red card for an apparent elbow after the referees consulted with the VAR.

Barca were leading 1-0 at the time, but Girona were a rejuvenated side with the one-man advantage and at the stroke of half time, talisman Cristian Stuani levelled for the away side. 

Stuani was once again on target six minutes into the second half and despite Gerard 
Pique’s header levelling matters once again in the 63rd minute, Barcelona were forced to a draw at the Nou Camp for the first time this season. 

It was not a result Messi fancied very much as after the game, whilst captains are traditionally expected to shake hands with match officials, the Argentine snubbed the ref in an open show of disapproval of key decisions in the match. 

Speaking on the surprise draw at home, managed Ernesto Valverde said what the whole Barca team were thinking – that their team had luck against them since Lenglet’s red card. "It handicapped us, we had bad luck to concede just before the end of the first half. We couldn't come back. 

I haven't seen the incident on the television, there's a clear collision and it seems that there's an elbow. It's the first sending off where the player fouled apologises." he said. 

Lionel Messi opened scoring for Catalan in the first 19 minutes of the game after receiving a precise pass from Arturo Vidal in the opponent's danger zone. 

Cristhian Stuani leveled up for Eusebio Sacristán's side on the dot of 45 minutes to deny their hosts victory in the first stanza of the game. And six minute into the second half, Stauni doubled his side's lead to put them in front for the first time in this encounter. 

Former Manchester United defender Gerard Pique restored parity for the Catalan side in the 63rd minute despite playing one man short since the 35th minute after Clement Lenglet was shown red card