The fan was seen wearing an Argentina shirt with Messi’s name and number 10 on the back. He broke inside the pitch during the second half, breaching strict security measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
A pitch invader (C) is removed from the pitch during the Spanish League football match between RCD Mallorca and FC Barcelona at the Visit Mallorca stadium (Son Moix stadium) in Palma de Mallorca on June 13, 2020. (Photo by JAIME REINA / AFP)
Spanish La Liga’s organising body has said it is filing for criminal action against the man who invaded the pitch during Real Mallorca’s match against FC Barcelona on Saturday.
The match was played behind closed doors as a new normal procedure amid the COVID-19 pandemic which forced the league to be stopped for close to 100 days.
The fan was seen wearing an Argentina shirt with Messi’s name and number 10 on the back. He broke inside the pitch during the second half, breaching strict security measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
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A statement from La Liga as quoted by Daily Mail on Sunday said the man accessed the pitch “without any authorisation and disobeying the protocols established by health legislation, as well as disobeying the orders of security staff”.
“La Liga also wishes to show its absolute condemnation for this type of conduct that puts the health of others at risk and risks damaging the integrity of the competition,” the statement added.
The fan, a French Mallorca resident, spoke to Spanish radio station Cadena Cope after being removed by security personnel and police, revealing that he had scaled a two-metre fence to access the stadium.
“I had planned this ever since I knew the match was happening, I wanted a photo with Messi and to meet him because he’s my idol,” he said as quoted by dailymail.co.uk.
LaLiga leaders FC Barcelona returned to action after a three-month layoff due to the Covid-19 pandemic with a comfortable 4-0 win away to Real Mallorca on Saturday night.
Arturo Vidal, Martin Braithwaite, Jordi Alba and Lionel Messi scored the goals that extended Barca’s lead at the top of the table to four points over Real Madrid, who entertain Eibar on Sunday.
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