Lionel Messi was reportedly unhappy with the mismanagement in Kolkata stadium; "I am only walking, what is this?"

Argentine star Lionel Messi's highly anticipated Kolkata appearance came to an abrupt end after chaos erupted at Salt Lake Stadium. There was crowd unrest, political embarrassment, and a police investigation. Messi, who was surrounded by VIPs and officials, reportedly looked around in bewilderment and irritation while he was walking.

"I am only walking, what is happening?" Messi was reportedly heard asking the organisers. One of the main reasons for the frenzy at the Messi Kolkata event was that the footballer's appearance was cut short, which led to the anger of the people who had bought tickets to watch the show.

Messi Kolkata chaos reveals organisational and security failures

The event turned out to be a fiasco with the cancellation of the speech, unveiling the flawed planning and crowd control at one of the most high-profile football events in India. Fans had paid between ₹4,500 and ₹10,000 for tickets to watch Messi in action.

Fans alleged that the organisers had raised their expectations too high without making sure that the people present could see properly or be engaged in an organised manner. In order to ensure security, Messi's team decided not to prolong the appearance when they felt the situation was getting out of control, which, as a result, exacerbated the problem.

Messi was with the crowd for not more than 15-20 minutes, and he was almost completely surrounded by the dignitaries, so the fans could not get a clear look at him. According to the sources, organisers and ex-India captain Sourav Ganguly made efforts to convince Messi to continue the visit, but the security team declined the suggestion because of the increasing security risk.

The Lionel Messi Kolkata drama became clear when the fans reacted violently after the short time they had with Messi as they threw bottles, tore out seats and ran onto the field in protest. They said that it was a poorly managed and misleading event.

Kolkata Police have taken the main organiser into custody for questioning as part of the investigation they have started regarding security and logistical lapses. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee apologised to Messi and the fans through the media after admitting the failure of the administration and promising that those responsible would be held accountable. Officials are also evaluating the situation as to whether refunds or compensation will be ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌issued.

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