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Perhaps Lionel Messi is used to standing ovations, he’s got them week in and week out. At home games and away matches, his talent is always applauded. But this time when he received a standing ovation, it must have come as a surprise as all he did is walk into a theatre.
The Barcelona star has been sidelined for a while with injury and hence has been missing from footballing action. The Argentine national has been missed by his team who have lost games to Celta Vigo and Sevilla in his absence. While the Catalan club seem on the brink of a crisis, surely Messi is itching to return to his club and help them back to winning ways, but for now he must rest.
As he made his way to the Tivoli Theatre in the city on Friday night with his mother, partner Antonella and brother Rodrigo in tow, the people present in the theatre recognised the boy from Rosario and rose to applaud him. Surely a sign that they miss the talismanic forward on the hallowed grounds of Nou Camp.
Messi was at the theatre to see a Ricardo Darin piece, but he must have stolen some of the actor’s spotlight as fans in the theatre queued up to take pictures with the footballing icon and he obliged as a number of fans would post later on social media. The player was seen sporting a crutch so he wouldn’t aggravate his injury.
The player may be facing some tough times with the shadow of a 22-month long spell in jail hanging over his head for tax fraud in Spain. While he appeared to have got away from the fracas for a while, as his father was also in the middle of the whole ordeal, the guillotine is now back over the Argentine captain’s head.
The visit to the theatre came only hours after the story about his tax fraud began to make the rounds once again. The Messi family have more problems as Matias Messi was once again recently arrested for illegal gun possession for the second time in Rosario, Argentina.
But little of all this seems to affect the Spanish crowds’ adulation for the little magician who seems to have captivated their hearts with his skill on the pitch.
