Minutes after arriving at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, football icon Lionel Messi left the pitch without completing a full lap, leaving fans angry at the management and throwing bottles and belts at them.
Chaos erupted at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday when spectators claimed they couldn’t even catch a glimpse of Messi despite paying huge sums to buy tickets.
The Argentine football icon arrived at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan around 11.30 am and was the first to enter the ground. He moved briefly and waved to the crowd. He was accompanied by long-time teammate Luis Suárez and Argentine teammate Rodrigo De Paul.
However, fans claimed that Messi remained surrounded by VIPs, organizers and security personnel throughout the round, effectively blocking spectators from seeing him.
Angry fans resort to vandalism
Soon after Lionel Messi took the stage, frustration grew as fans chanted “We want Messi”.
The tipping point came when Messi was escorted out of the stadium within minutes, long before several invited dignitaries arrived.
Angry supporters threw bottles onto the pitch and damaged banners, billboards and plastic chairs in the galleries.
One person was injured during the chaos, ANI reported.
Some spectators tried to tear open the gallery barricades and force their way onto the pitch, with police having trouble holding them back, eyewitnesses said.
“Absolutely Terrible Event”
Speaking to ANI, Lionel Messi fans complained that the event was disappointing.
“Absolutely terrible event. He only came for 10 minutes. All the leaders and ministers surrounded him. We didn’t see anything. He didn’t take a single kick or a single penalty. He came for 10 minutes and left. So much money, emotions and wasted time. We didn’t see anything,” said one fan.
(This is a developing story. Check back for updates)
