Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina, has recounted the moment he and his teammates attempted to diffuse the crowd unrest that followed his team’s early-am Wednesday morning match against Brazil. As the two legendary national teams faced off in the World Cup qualifiers, rivalries were reignited.
But when the national anthems were playing, the cops began hitting the Argentina supporters with batons, which led to brawls in the crowd. Horrifying scenes ensued, forcing several fans to run onto the pitch and the surrounding surroundings in order to protect themselves from being struck.
While some fans appeared to be retreating away from the event, others were struck by police after being spotted pulling out and hurling seats. The players attempted to diffuse the situation by moving closer to the spectators; goalie Emiliano Martinez even appeared to reach out and touch someone with a police baton.
The World Cup champions made the decision to go to the dressing room, where they would remain for an additional 10 minutes until the crowd had subsided and they could resume play on the field. The game finally started after a half-hour delay, and it was a tight match with little opportunities for each team.
Brazil’s starting lineup included three Arsenal players: Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Jesus, and Gabriel Martinelli. Martinelli’s attempt was stopped by Cristian Romero of Tottenham. This was one of the first times the Argentine center back and Enzo Fernandez played together after the midfielder for Chelsea was sent off for a challenge.
Before Nicolas Otamendi, a former Manchester City defender, towered over the opposition and headed in the first goal, the game was fairly evenly balanced. As Joelinton of Newcastle was sent off for striking Rodrigo De Paul late in the game, tensions erupted.
Argentina won 1-0, demonstrating the impressive play of the team that was crowned world champions about a year ago. While speaking to press during the game, Captain Messi went back to those opening moments, saying, “The truth is that this group continues to achieve historic things, once again.”
“Obviously, things weren’t good at first since we could see that they were abusing people. We care more about the family and the individuals present who are unaware of what is happening than we do about winning a game. The match was secondary at that point.
“After that, I believe that this game’s victory is one of this group’s most significant victories. Being able to triumph here in Brazil is rather pleasant, considering how formidable they have always been back home.”