Star Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez was elbowed in his stomach and Rodrigo de Paul was scratched on his hand during their Inter Miami teammate Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour, which led to an early stop to the event’s opening leg in Kolkata, according to a report in Anandabazar Patrika.
However, the full extent of the disorder and the overbearing behaviour of the VIPs around Messi didn’t come to light on Saturday. It is now becoming clear that the behaviour of those individuals and their entourages escalated to a point where Messi, Suárez and De Paul started to feel unsafe.
The stands had not yet descended into chaos, so why did the Argentine superstar leave earlier than planned? According to the report, around 11.30 am, Messi’s car arrived through
the passage between Galleries 4 and 5 at the Salt Lake Stadium and stopped near the athletics track.
As soon as Messi stepped out, he was swarmed by almost 100 people, organisers, photographers, politicians, ministers and their aides. State sports minister Aroop Biswas was attached to Messi as a crowd of influential figures followed, triggering pushing and jostling amidst frantic attempts to click pictures.
The chaos went beyond mere shoving. An eyewitness told Anandabazar Patrika that an overzealous selfie-seeker elbowed Suárez in the stomach, while another person’s fingernails scratched de Paul’s hand.
Although Messi attempted to maintain a smile, his discomfort was evident. Sensing the situation spiralling out of control, his security team took no chances and escorted Messi and his teammates off the field.
Some former Bengal footballers present on the field, though at a distance from Messi, noticed his visible discomfort.
“People were getting far too close to Messi, Suárez and de Paul, even crowding around their necks. After observing the situation for a few minutes, Messi spoke to his personal security and left the field,” former Indian footballer Rahim Nabi said while speaking to Anandabazar Patrika.
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