Messi shirt swap lands Leverkusen players in trouble

Feb 16, 2012, 12:32 GMT

Leverkusen, Germany - Bayer Leverkusen sport director Rudi Voeller is to tell two of the team's players to auction the shirts they received from Lionel Messi for charity.

Voeller was not happy with the behaviour of Michal Kadlec and Manuel Friedrich who reportedly argued at half-time over Messi's shirt in the 3-1 home defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League Tuesday.

'Messi's shirt was more important than the game,' a Bild newspaper headline said Thursday, and asked Voeller whether he was ashamed by the players' 'embarrassing' behaviour.

'Ninety per cent of the players were fully focused on the game,' Voeller was quoted as saying.

'What these two did was too much of a good thing. I haven't spoken to them but I will be doing so.

'I guarantee that Kadlec and Friedrich will auction their Messi shirts for a good purpose.'

According to Bild, Czech defender Kadlec had swapped shirts with Messi after the half-time whistle. It led to an argument with German defender Friedrich on the way to the dressing room, with Friedrich then taking the shirt from his team-mate.

After the full-time whistle, Kadlec was then again able to swap shirts with three-time world player of the year Messi, reportedly saying afterwards he would give it 'a place of honour.'.

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