Mayhem erupted at the Maracana even before the match commenced, sparking a violent clash between police and fans in the stands. This altercation preceded Brazil’s 1-0 defeat against Argentina, with police resorting to batons to control the situation, resulting in injuries and bloodshed among some fans.

Rather than basking in the victory, Messi expressed concern over the violence that unfolded in Rio de Janeiro. He remarked on the police’s focus on the clashes rather than the game itself, recalling a similar incident during the Libertadores final.

He stated “”We saw how police were hitting the people, it already happened in the Libertadores final. “They were more focused on that than on the game.”

“We went to the locker room because it was the best way to calm everything down, a tragedy could have happened.”

“We are a family. We decided to play to make the situation more calm.”

“This team continues to make history.”

“Great victory in the Maracana although it will be marked by the repression of the Argentinians once again in Brazil.”

“This can’t be tolerated it’s insane and it needs to end now!!’

During the game, Argentina’s goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, attempted to seize a baton from a police officer, prompting his teammates to intervene. Messi directed his team back to the dressing room to await a resolution to the escalating situation, affirming that they would only resume play once tensions subsided between the two rival teams.

After a delay of 22 minutes, the 2022 World Cup champions returned to the field, marking the start of the game. As things stand, Messi’s Argentina leads the South American World Cup qualifying group with 15 points, while Brazil currently ranks sixth with seven points.

🚨🇧🇷🇦🇷 Crazy scenes in the stands at Maracanã between Brazilian police and Argentina fans.

Full footage by @_igorrodrigues 🎥 pic.twitter.com/lF4uzyI8A9

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 22, 2023

Lionel Messi

This season he played in total 6 times for 372 minutes for Major League Soccer.

Lionel Messi scored 1 goal for Inter Miami. He procured two assists. He received no yellow cards and no red cards.

His team is currently 14th in Major League Soccer. In the last match Inter Miami lost 1-0 against Charlotte.

Inter Miami performance and stats

Inter Miami is currently 14th in the Major League Soccer with 34 points.

In the last 34 games, it has won 9 times, drawn 7 times, and lost 18 times. In its last match, Inter Miami lost 1-0 against Charlotte.​​

It has a negative goal difference after scoring 41 goals and conceding 54.​