ROSARIO: Paris Saint-German forward Lionel Messi received a threatening message after his in-law’s food store got attacked in Rosario, Argentina on Thursday, as reported by ESPN.
Two individuals came on a motorbike and reportedly shot 14 bullets at the shutter and the front door, of the food store “Unico,” which is located in the Lavalle district of Rosario.
The attackers didn’t stop there, they left a written message on a piece of cardboard for him as well. “Messi, we are waiting for you. Javkin is a drug dealer. He is not going to look after you.” The investigation is already underway. However, it is still unclear why the assailants targeted Messi specifically.
Pablo Javkin the mayor of Rosario raised his concerns about the increasing crime in Rosario. In a tweet, he stated that: “Rosario is 300km [from Buenos Aires], it is near. We want to get all the resources against crime that Argentina has to take care of us, to protect this city that gives the country glory and science, countryside and art, federalism and union.”
Rosario queda a 300 km, está cerca… Queremos que todos los recursos contra el crimen que tiene la Argentina vengan a cuidarnos, a proteger esta ciudad que le da al país gloria y ciencia, campo y arte, federalismo y unión.
— Pablo Javkin (@pablojavkin) February 27, 2023
Celia Arena, justice minister for Santa Fe province, believes that this attack is meant to intimidate the broader population. “The aim is to deliberately cause terror in the population and discourage those of us who are fighting against criminal violence, knowing that it will be an event of global significance,” quoted by ESPN.
As of now neither Messi nor his wife Antonela Roccuzzo is yet to break their silence on this attack.
The 35-year-old attacker recently won FIFA Best Man’s award and he is currently enjoying a decent season with the league leaders PSG. He will soon decide his next destination as his current contract will run out on June 30. As uncertainty clouds, Messi’s future PSG has the option to extend his stay for one more year.
The upcoming weeks will give more clarity on his next destination. (ANI)