Messi penalty decision-Right or Wrong?

Was the referee's decision to send off Martin Demichelis and award Barca a penalty justified?

"Be scared,Barca,Be very scared"City fans stated on social networking sites hours before the game kicked off at the Etihad.And heading into the titanic game at the Etihad,nobody had a speck of idea that a referee's decision would ruin the outcome of the game

The first half dragged on to a close but the second half kicked off rather unexpectedly with Alvaro Negredo threatening Victor Valdes' goal but Barcelona's back line coped up to avoid a set back.The talking point came in the 53rd minute,when Andres Iniesta threaded a through pass to Lionel Messi who escaped the defense slickly.But Argentine Centre half,Martin Demichelis was giving a stiff chase and attempted to dispossess the compatriot but his leg caught Messi instead.Messi went down slightly in the box and Demichelis was shown a straight red for a so called "blatant" foul.Lionel Messi stepped up to take the spot kick and hammered it straight past Joe Hart,who was left mourning Demichelis' sending off decision.

But ,despite being a man down and a goal down,City showed signs of resiliency and tried frantically to claw back.But as the game went on,City got caught at the counter as substitute Neymar played a delightful through ball to Dani Alve,who doubled Barca's lead from a curious angle.

And just as the game concluded,the fans launched a scathing attack on the referee's decision by stating that it was only a free kick from the edge of the box.Moreover,City fans also exclaim that Martin Demichelis' sending off decision was nothing short of unjustified.

According to FIFA rules ,a penalty is awarded when the foul is committed inside the area but this was an exceptional case.Martin Demichelis had committed the foul just 5-7 inches outside the box but Leo Messi went down just 3-4 inches inside the box.It was a sort of a professional foul to deliberately halt Messi's trademark surge into the box but Demichelis' leg caught Messi's just some inches outside the penalty box. Messi went down just inside the box and the referee was ready to brandish a red card straight at the Argentine's face.

Here's what happened-

Verdict-

It's a tough one,this one but just to suggest a comprise,I'd have yellow carded Demichelis at the most and would've awarded a penalty to the Catalans.Another alternative could've been sending Demichelis off and ordering a direct free kick from the edge of the box.The game was so heated up that the referee ,instead of offering warnings sent the Argentine off abruptly.The decision was,quite rightly harsh and the foul being not a clumsy one,should 've been ignored .Wondering what ignored means here?Ignored in the sense,it should not have been a red card .City's defense was working well yesterday and they do deserve a pat on the back despite of conceding .Could City have survived the game if not for the red card and the spot kick?I get the feeling they could have done so.But the decision to brandish a straight red was utterly harsh on the referee's part.