Lionel Messi’s highly-anticipated outing at Salt Lake Stadium descended into chaos as crowd control problems forced the football superstar to cut short his lap of honour, setting off angry scenes throughout the stadium.
What should have been a moment of celebration spiralled quickly out of control after a security breach prompted officials to tighten the cordon around Messi. A phalanx of guards, plus an entourage the size of a small army, came between him and the sea of adoring fans, so that most of those in the stands didn’t have a good view of the World Cup winner. The frustration boiled over into boos aimed at the array of officials and politicians on hand, and water bottles flew onto the pitch.
Ugly scenes unfold at Salt Lake Stadium as fans vent anger during Messi’s appearance, Live visuals showed Messi having to abandon his stadium lap midway with overcrowding around him becoming uncontainable. In the stands, things started boiling over, with angry supporters seen vandalising banners and damaging seats, visibly upset over the manner in which the situation was handled. Watch video for more details
Fans boo officials and politicians, with bottles also thrown, as a security breach forces Lionel Messi to cut short his stadium lap at Salt Lake Stadium. pic.twitter.com/uS9qU8F74v
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Fans inside the stadium felt shortchanged. For all the privilege of being a part of one of Indian football’s biggest moments, Messi remained as inaccessible as he was, virtually stuck in these stadium premises with security struggling to regain control. The visuals grew progressively worse as the situation spiralled out of hand and continued to paint an uncomfortable picture of chaos at a venue considered home of Indian football.
With the police stepping in to restore order, serious questions are now being raised about crowd management and event planning. For now, the focus is on calming things down, but this was never how Messi’s India appearance was supposed to go down.
Also Read: Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour appearance turns chaotic as fans erupt after 10-minute stadium visit
