The reason players in La Liga usually cover their mouths to speak to each other on the field can be traced back to Spanish television, who regularly hire lip-readers to subtitle the conversations that occur in the white heat of battle.
The latest incident to undergo that treatment is, naturally, Leo Messi's 'ghost goal' against Valencia at the weekend. Messi scored a perfectly legitimate goal to give Barca a precious advantage at the Mestalla, only for the referee and officials to disagree with the plain reality that the ball had crossed the line. Messi had wheeled away in celebration, only to be angered by a blatantly incorrect call.
He then pleaded with the linesman:
- But you were there! You were there! You didn't see it?
- No, Leo, no.
- Can we talk? Can we talk?
Luis Suarez was characteristically furious as well, and was less diplomatic in airing his grievances than many of his teammates.
You bottler!
Midget shit!
It's interesting to watch.
