Soccer Football - Spanish Super Cup Final - FC Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao - Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla, Seville, Spain - January 17, 2021 Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman REUTERS/Marcelo Del Pozo
SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) - Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman defended his decision to start Lionel Messi in Sunday's Spanish Super Cup final after the Argentine was sent off for the first time in his club career as Athletic Bilbao won 3-2 after extra time to lift the trophy.
Messi had missed Wednesday's semi-final win over Real Sociedad through injury but before the final Koeman said he would allow the forward to make a decision on his fitness.
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