FIFA hands Messi four-match ban

   

  FIFA’s disciplinary panel has dealt a four-match ban to Lionel Messi after ruling that the Argentina forward verbally abused a match official in a World Cup qualifying game against Chile.

   With the ban, he will miss four of the Albiceleste’s remaining World Cup qualifiers, which started with yesterday’s match against Bolivia.

   Argentina are third in the South American standings with five games left. They have matches remaining against Bolivia, Uruguay, Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador and only four teams qualify directly.