Lionel Messi furious after Brazil vs Argentina abandoned for Covid violations
The PSG forward could not believe the officials did not act earlier if there was a problem
After the bizarre spectacle of Brazil vs Argentina starting and then being suspended, the world asked: Why could this not have been avoided by acting earlier? Lionel Messi was thinking the same. He was annoyed with the game being stopped because four Argentina players theoretically should have been in quarantine because they arrived in Brazil having spent time in the UK.
“We’re here for three days and they waited for the game to start? Why didn’t they tell us earlier. Why didn’t they come to the hotel? The world is watching us.” said Messi.
Scaloni, the Argentina coach, was also cross. “I’m very sad for what just happened. If it happened or not, that wasn’t the moment to do it. It should be a party, one of the best games in the world. I don’t know what words to use. As a coach I have to defend my players. People came onto the pitch saying they wanted to deport our players. We wanted to play. It’s all very sad.”
The Argentina players in question are Emiliano Buendia and Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa, and Giovani lo Celso and Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur.
Brazil rules state that visitors who have been in the UK in the 14 days before entering the country must quarantine for 14 days on arrival.
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