Argentina captain Lionel Messi has protested his innocence after being handed a four-match ban for abusing an official, insisting his insults were aimed "to the air".
The Barcelona star scored the only goal of the game in a World Cup qualifying win against Chile, but his second-half clash with an assistant led to a ban in the hours before a second crucial clash with Bolivia.
"My sayings were never addressed to the assistant, but they were said to the air," he said in a statement reported by La Nacion.
"We are surprised by the decision that has been taken," national team secretary Jorge Miadosqui said on Tuesday. "We are very angry because of the way it was handled hours before playing.
"We are going to appeal the FIFA sanction. There are previous [examples] to believe the punishment can be decreased. Messi is sad, as we all are. We do not agree with the way in which this was handled."
