Ref called 'useless' by Messi given guard of honour before ending 15-year LaLiga career

Osasuna's players created a corridor for the 46-year-old to walk off the pitch following their 3-1 home win over Almeria.

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With four games left to play this season, it will be one of Lahoz's final matches of his 15-year top flight career.

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Speaking post-match, Osasuna's Aimar Oroz said: "We're very close, he talks to you, informs you, it's a pleasure".

The Valencian has been moved to VAR duties by LaLiga's technical committee, as revealed by Marca last month, although they state that he's more likely to continue officiating on-pitch in the lower leagues.

The decision came at the end of a rough season for the controversial official, who in December went to the Qatar World Cup, but saw his run end in dramatic circumstances.

Lahoz issued a record 19 cards, one of which was red, in a chaotic quarter-final tie between eventual winners Argentina and the Netherlands.

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Lionel Messi said the official was 'not up to the task' post-match, while a number of other players criticised his performance.

Lahoz was not selected again at Qatar 2022, but in his next match, a LaLiga derby between Barcelona and Espanyol, he dealt out 18 more cards, three of which were red.

In his next fixture he dismissed Sevilla manager Jorge Sampaoli just 17 minutes into a Copa del Rey tie against Linares, and was kept on the sidelines for the next three weeks of league games by the technical committee.

Things have simmered down since, but Marca claim Lahoz's departure from LaLiga refereeing was not his own choice, with the official keen to continue.

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That will not happen though, with Lahoz set to depart with the third-most games officiated in Spanish top flight history, as he currently stands on 283 since his debut in 2008.