River Plate fans abuse and spit at Lionel Messi at Tokyo airport after Club World Cup final

Lionel Messi had helped Barcelona beat River Plate 3-0 in the Club World Cup final

According to reports, Barcelona star Lionel Messi was spat at when he was at the Narita airport in Tokyo, Japan, soon after they won the 2015 Club World Cup title after beating River Plate in the final. River Plate fans reportedly targeted their countryman and one of the fans allegedly spat at Messi when he was heading to passport control before taking a flight back to Spain.

It took his compatriot Javier Mascherano and Barcelona coach Luis Enrique to intervene and ensure no harm would come to Messi. Meanwhile, Luis Suarez was also seen calming Messi down as the Barca no.10 looked to confront the fans who abused and spat at him.

The Argentine forward had scored the opening goal in the 3-0 win. A brace from Suarez sealed the deal for Barcelona as the Catalan club lifted their third Club World Cup title – a new record.

River plate coach condemns spitting incident

Speaking to an Argentine newspaper, River Plate coach Marcelo Gallardo said he had been made aware of the incident and he was of the opinion that no player from their own country should be treated like this.

“I didn't see it, but I've been told about it,” Gallardo said. “I want to condemn this behaviour, behaviour that is out of place.

“You need to be respectful. He's a player who was born in our country, is the best in the world and plays for our national team.

“Give him the respect he deserves. I don't agree with this behaviour at all.”

A Argentina fan insulted Messi. Luis Suarez and Javier intervened to defend Messi. pic.twitter.com/2eHf7qwQT1

— Barcelona HQ (@BarcelonaHQ) December 21, 2015

River Plate president applauds Messi

Meanwhile, the Argentine club’s president Rodolfo D'Onofrio criticised the fan who spat at Messi.

“There's always some idiot, to put it mildly. I've just read that Messi had problems in the airport with some fan.

“Messi is the best player of Argentinian football, he's a gentleman. When he scored the goal, he raised his hands apologising. He congratulated the club for having got where we did, and he told me that when he was a youngster he was on the verge of becoming a River player.

“So I applaud him. You need to know how to lose and when to recognise the other team were better.”

Messi had idolised Pablo Aimar, a former River Plate player and he had actually been scouted by the Argentine club. But they did not have the money pay for Messi’s treatment and he soon moved to Barcelona.

The Argentina captain has also actually funded the management of many youth players at River Plate and Boca Juniors apart from his hometown club Newell's Old Boys.