Manchester City Deny Talk Of Tunnel Squabble With Lionel Messi After 3-1 Win Vs Barcelona

Manchester City have denied reports of an altercation between one of their players and Lionel Messi in the tunnel of their own Etihad Stadium after the English club’s 3-1 victory over Barcelona on Tuesday.

Manchester City Deny Talk Of Tunnel Squabble With Lionel Messi After 3-1 Win Vs Barcelona

Cadena COPE (via ESPN FC’s Adriana Garcia) claimed the Barcelona forward confronted an unnamed City player after the latter provoked him as both teams left the field following the game.

Messi, the 29-year-old five-time Ballon d’Or winner, reportedly shouted, “Stupid, come here and show your face, don’t hide,” as the City player rushed into the locker room.

The Cadena COPE report added that Messi was then calmed down by City striker Sergio Aguero, his teammate on the Argentina national team. Aguero allegedly downplayed the incident afterwards, claiming Messi had said to him that there was nothing to worry about.

“From what I know, nothing serious happened,” he is quoted as saying by Sport. “I heard Leo say something but then he told me that nothing had happened.”

Messi scored Barca’s only goal Tuesday in the 38th minute, but Ilkay Gundogan tied it one minute later. Kevin de Bruyne then fired a free kick past Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the 51st minute, . Gundogan then scored again in the 74th to seal the win for City, their first over the Catalans in six attempts.

The game also marked Barcelona’s first loss of the 2016-17 Champions League season. Nevertheless, they still lead Group C with nine points.

Barca have two games remaining before the group stages finish. Their next Champions League match is against Celtic on Nov. 23, but they have two La Liga games before that: a Nov. 6 matchup against Sevilla, followed by a Nov. 19 contest against Málaga.

Manchester City, meanwhile, will next face Middlesbrough in the Premier League on Saturday.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 01: Lionel Messi of Barcelona shoots during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Manchester City FC and FC Barcelona at Etihad Stadium on November 1, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)