Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho has been revealed as the player who reportedly sparked a tunnel bust-up with Barcelona star Lionel Messi on Tuesday evening.
The Brazilian international was part of the squad that produced the club's performance of the season, namelytheir emphatic 3-1 victory over Barcelona in the Champions League group stage match at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
However, the game is also remembered for an unsavoury moment at the end of a hotly contested affair, as according to Brazilian news outletGloboesporte -viathe Sun-Fernandinho was said to have insulted the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, causing the Argentinian to react as the two teams exited the pitch and headeddown the tunnel.
Further reports from Spanish radio stationCopehave suggested that Messi reacted to the insult with the line: 'Imbecile, come here and show your face, don't hide!'
Messi's taunter said to be Fernandinho, according to @globoesportecom . https://t.co/FWxnjjCjy7
Messi's compatriot Sergio Aguero was initially suspected as the culprit, but it has now been revealed that he was attempting to be the peace-keeper between the two -however this didn't work, as Messi, along with a Catalan delegate, entered City's dressing room to find an explanation for the rude outburst from Fernandinho.
After the incident, City star Aguero insisted it has been blown out of proportion, andhad this to say: "Nothing happened. I didn't hear [the incident] very well. I saw Messi was irritated but he didn't say anything to me. Afterwards we talked about other things.�
Messi won't have to wait long to get his revenge however, with Argentina set to meet Fernandinho's Brazil in a crucial World Cup qualifier in a week's time, where further sparks could fly, bothon and off the pitch.