Published on 23.11.2023
Lionel Messi holds the belief that a potentially tragic incident occurred during the crowd disturbance that caused a delay in Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against Brazil.
The police intervened and charged at fans from the visiting team after clashes broke out before kick-off in a specific area of the Maracana Stadium, which Messi claims included friends and family of players. In an effort to defuse the situation, Messi, as captain of Argentina, along with his teammates approached and attempted to calm things down before eventually returning to their dressing room.
Argentina vs Brazil
— Heaven Football (@heavenfootball_) November 23, 2023
Disturbs what a shame pic.twitter.com/vvNiScr1jE
Expressing his concern over the events that unfolded, Messi, aged 36, stated how distressing it was for them to witness people being subjected to physical assault by law enforcement officers who were wielding nightsticks once again reminiscent of what had transpired during the Libertadores final match.
In an effort to control the chaos and potential tragedy, we made the decision to head to the locker room. The well-being of everyone involved, including families and spectators unaware of what was unfolding, took precedence over continuing with a match that had become secondary in importance.
The disturbance first erupted during the national anthems when opposing fans clashed behind one of Rio de Janeiro’s stadium goals. Police intervened by charging at Argentina’s supporters with batons which incited some fans to retaliate by tearing out seats and throwing them at law enforcement. Others sought refuge on the pitch.
Despite tense circumstances leading up to this point, taking swift action helped prevent further escalation and danger for all involved.
