River Plate Make Messi Apology

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River Plate have apologised for the behaviour of their supporters towards Lionel Messi at an airport in Tokyo amid reports he was spat at following Barcelona’s 3-0 victory in the Club World Cup final.

A number of fans found themselves close to a group of Barça players and began hurling insults and abuse at, among other Messi and Javier Mascherano, promoting the intervention of the manager, Luis Enrique, to stop the incident escalating.

The River Plate statement read: “In relation to the attacks on Lionel Messi at Narita airport, Club Atlético River Plate condemns all forms of violence and wishes to apologise to the player and Barcelona. River Plate congratulate Barcelona on winning the 2015 Club World Cup, held in Japan.”

Barcelona had claimed a comfortable 3-0 win in Tokyo with Messi scoring the opening goal before two more from Luis Suárez. Messi has often been criticised for failing to replicate his Barcelona form for the national team but the River Plate president, Rodolfo D’Onofrio, was similarly critical of the behaviour of his club’s fans.

“There’s always one idiot, to use a more polite way of describing these people. I’ve only just read that Messi was given problems by a fan at the airport who had drunk more than he should have … and did something stupid against Messi. Messi is the best player in Argentine football, he’s a gentleman,” D’Onofrio told Fox Sports Show.

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River Plate Suffer Monumental Fall

El Monumenal Stadium

On Sunday River Plate were relegated from La Clausura to the Argentinian second division for the first time in its 110-year history, sparking ugly riots between police and fans.

Dozens of people were injured inside and outside Monumental stadium on Sunday.

The relegation came after a 1-1 draw with Belgrano in the second leg of a demotion play-off. Belgrano won the first leg 2-0 at home. Mariano Pavone scored in the sixth minute for River and Guillermo Farre equalised in the 62nd.

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Violence broke out a minute before the match was over. Angry fans pelted players with objects from the stands, and police replied with high-powered fire hoses, with some fans climbing restraining fences topped with razor wire.

As fans were pounded with jets of water, River Plate's players huddled on the pitch, many in tears, including goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo.

The mayhem quickly spread outside River's 50,000-seat stadium. Alberto Crescenti, head of emergency medical services, said at least 55 people had been injured.

Nilda Garre, the minister for security, said 35 police were hurt.

"Fortunately, none have their lives at risk," the Argentine news agency DyN reported her saying.

Police used a water cannon outside the stadium immediately after the match, hoping to disperse fans quickly.

Fans who poured out of the stadium faced police armed with batons and shields at every exit, while attack dogs were ready and helicopters hovered over the stadium.

The area outside the stadium, in the leafy northern suburb of Nunez, looked like a war zone, with police battling hand to hand with River Plate hooligans, who are known by the colourful nickname Los Borrachos del Tablon - the Drunks in the Stands.

Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas, and brought in mounted units to try to keep order.

Fearing this kind of violence, Argentine authorities deployed about 2200 police - reported to be the largest security operation for a football match - to control the crowd.

Suggestions to play the match in an empty stadium were turned down by interior ministry officials after consulting with the Argentine Football Association and its president Julio Grondona.

The demotion is humiliating for a club that has won more league titles than any team - 33 - and is known affectionately as Los Millionarios.

River can return to the top flight after only one season in the second division - known as B Nacional - by finishing in the top four to be promoted automatically, or through  play off.

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• Death and violence scar the Argentine game (usatoday.com)
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