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Overcrowding at Salt Lake Stadium left Lionel Messi uncomfortable as politicians and VVIPs swarmed him, leaving paying fans angry after missing a glimpse.
What was meant to be a red-letter day for the City of Joy on December 13 turned into a nightmare by noon. Fans who paid hefty sums for tickets to the first leg of Argentina star Lionel Messi’s four-city India tour were left fuming after failing to catch even a glimpse of him. A swarm of politicians, VVIPs, security personnel and assorted hangers-on surrounded Messi for selfies, leaving fans frustrated.
The crowd around him was so overwhelming that cameras could not even focus on Messi on the three giant screens installed at the Salt Lake Stadium. And even before chaos fully descended at the iconic venue, a first-hand account revealed that the “overcrowding” had already left the football legend “visibly uncomfortable”.
Before Messi’s arrival at the stadium, organisers attempted to keep fans engaged with a 35-minute exhibition match between Mohun Bagan Messi XI and Diamond Harbour Messi XI, with all players donning the iconic No. 10 jersey. Former India midfielder Lalkamal Bhowmick was among those who took part.
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Speaking to Sports Now, Bhowmick recalled that everything appeared to be going smoothly initially, with Messi looking comfortable and enthusiastic. However, the situation quickly deteriorated as the area became overcrowded. Repeated requests for selfies and autographs, coupled with poor security management, eventually left Messi visibly uncomfortable.
“Everything was going fine at the start as Messi walked into the stadium. He seemed relaxed, smiling, and shaking hands with all of us. He even gave autographs without hesitation,” Bhowmick said. “The moment too many people rushed onto the field and started clicking pictures, he became visibly uncomfortable.”
Bhowmick added that as the situation worsened, Messi began showing signs of irritation and eventually lost his cool.
“It got overcrowded very quickly, and we could see his reaction change as everyone around him started clicking pictures. He began showing signs of irritation, lost his cool, and everything went out of control,” Bhowmick said.
The Hyderabad leg of his tour, however, went smoothly. He not only left the nearly packed Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium mesmerised with his football skills during the post-match penalty shootouts, but also interacted with the crowd and thanked them for their adulation.
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