This archive report was first published on 14 June 2020.
La Liga resumed its season after a three-month break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Barcelona facing Real Mallorca on June 13, 2020. The match was played behind closed doors, with only 229 people allowed to enter the stadium.
However, a determined Lionel Messi fan managed to sneak into the stadium, clad in an Argentina shirt and holding his phone. He calmly walked onto the pitch during the second half of the game, approaching Barcelona defender Jordi Alba before heading towards Messi.
Security guards tackled the intruder before he could make any contact with Messi, while two police officers helped remove him from the pitch. The incident occurred despite the league's strict social distancing regulations and the limited number of people allowed in the stadium.
Barcelona won the match 4-0, their first since the season resumed. The team's manager, Quique Setien, expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, citing their effectiveness and ability to maintain a good rhythm despite the break.
Setien praised the team's effort, saying, "The feelings are good. There are always things that you want to improve, but I am satisfied with the game we have made. We have had effectiveness … but we were fine with the ball. We have had a break, but I am very satisfied."
