Brazil vs Argentina: Lionel Messi accuses Brazilian police of brutality after fans bloodied in violent scenes

Lionel Messi and other players tried to defuse the situation (AFP via Getty Images)

Lionel Messi has accused Brazilian police of brutality after clashes with fans before kick-off of Tuesday evening’s World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina at Maracana Stadium on Tuesday.

Both sets of fans started fighting during the national anthems, prompting police to attack the visiting Argentina fans with batons. Some Argentina fans responded by ripping up and throwing seats at the officers as other fans panicked and came onto the pitch to escape the fighting.

Police were also seen punching supporters and once Argentina fans with a bloodied face needed to be taken from the stadium on a stretcher.

Argentina captain Messi led a contingent of players to the stands in an attempt to defuse the situation, before leaving the pitch and returning to the dressing room.

Police clashed with fans before the game (REUTERS)

“It was bad because we saw how they were beating people … The police, as it already happened in the Libertadores final, were once again repressing the people with night sticks, there were players who had families over there,” Messi said in a pitchside television interview.

“We went to the locker room because it was the best way to calm everything down, it could have ended in tragedy.

“You think about the families, the people who are there, who don’t know what’s going on and we were more concerned about that than playing a match that, at that point, was of secondary importance.”

Police were seen punching supporters and using batons (AFP via Getty Images)

Brazil captain Marquinhos, who could be seen interacting with Messi and the Argentine players as they tried to calm the situation, shared the concerns.

“We were worried about the families, women and children, that we were seeing in panic up there in the stands,” Marquinhos told reporters.

“Down on the pitch it was hard for us to understand what was going on, it was a very scary situation.”

There were violent clashes between fans of Argentina’s Boca Juniors and Brazil’s Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro ahead of the Copa Libertadores final between the clubs this month.

One bloodied fan had to be taken from the stadium on a stretcher (Getty Images)

On Tuesday, the Argentina players eventually returned, after police corralled the visiting fans in a pen and the match started after a half-hour delay.

Argentina won 1-0 with a 63rd-minute headed winner from defender Nicolas Otamendi and celebrated the victory over their fiercest rivals in front of their fans at the same end of the ground where the trouble had occurred.

It was a third straight defeat for five-time World Cup winners Brazil, who had midfielder Joelinton sent off 18 minutes from time.

Additional reporting by Reuters.