In December, India is set to witness footballing royalty, as there have been reports that Lionel Messi will be making a short visit to the country.
This will be his second visit to India after his visit to 2011. A visit by a famous footballer in India will be incomplete without visiting Kolkata, which is considered the Mecca of Indian football. In fact, Messi will be arriving first in Kolkata in his three-city tour which also comprises of Mumbai and Delhi on December 12 and will stay till December 13. He is also scheduled to attend a felicitation ceremony at Eden Gardens. However, his Kolkata trip might be in a bit of a limbo.
According to a report by The Telegraph, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has received no official communication as of the evening of August 2 (Saturday). CAB president Snehashish Ganguly also confirmed that they have received no official confirmation yet. First they have to ask the army for permission to conduct the programme at the iconic venue.
“It’s a surprise to me that Messi will be coming to the Eden when we have received no official communication yet on the matter. I’m really surprised as to how this news (Messi at the Eden) is going around,” CAB president Snehasish Ganguly told the publication
“We first need to take permission from the Army and then discuss it with our apex body. But as of now, we haven’t received any official communication,” another CAB official added.
What Will Messi Do In Kolkata?
On August 12, Lionel Messi is scheduled to arrive in Kolkata. He will then attend a statue unveiling ceremony in the city. This will be followed by some programmes at the Eden Gardens, where the GOAT concert and GOAT Cup will be held. The GOAT cup will be a 7-a-side football match, that will feature both Messi and Sourav Ganguly.
Lionel Messi is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his visit to Delhi.