Messi will not travel to Zurich to plead his case to FIFA
The Argentine star will appear through video link to the FIFA Appeals Committee, as he seeks to revoke his four-game international ban incurred against ChilePachuca-Wydad Casablanca live: FIFA Club World Cup
Lionel Messi has confirmed that he will not travel to Zurich on Friday to attempt to reduce his international ban before the FIFA Appeals Committee, citing a personal problem as the reason.
Messi to appear through videolink
The Barcelona star will, however, be present through a videolink. He will be accompanied by Andrés Urich, the legal advisor to the Argentine Football Association, and Juan de Dios Crespo, Messi's lawyer.
4 match Argentina ban
Lionel Messi is attempting to reduce, the four-match international ban that FIFA imposed upon him for insulting a linesman following Argentina's 1-0 victory over Chile.
One of those four matches has already taken place, a 2-0 defeat to Bolivia in La Paz. As such, Messi currently stands to miss matches against Uruguay (a), Venezuela (h), and Peru (h).
Messi's objective is that the ban is reduced to two matches, to make him available for the match against Venezuela and Peru.