Thaindian News

Kolkata, Aug 30 (IANS) Even before the arrival of soccer magician Lionel Messi, there was utter chaos at the Salt Lake stadium Tuesday as the organisers of the Sep 2 Argentina-Venezuela FIFA Official International Friendly game failed to provide proper and correct information regarding the teams and their practice sessions.

Journalists were a harried lot as the organisers first announced that the Argentine team would have a largely closed door practice session with the non-rights holding media allowed in for only ten minutes.

However, the media was later informed that only the three goalkeepers would do some tune up, which only the accredited media could access.

However, the accreditation cards - due to be handed over to the media Tuesday evening - proved elusive.

Sources close to the organisers said the agency given the task of supplying the cards was under the “false impression” that those are needed only for the Sep 2 game.

It was later announced that the cards would be handed over Wednesday at the venue of the media conference whose timing was yet to be finalised till late Tuesday night.

Though the organisers sent out a media invite that the interaction would be at 12 noon Wednesday, an official of the promoters Celebrity Management Group said it could be deferred to 3.30 or even 4 p.m.

There was also almost no information about the practice timing of the Venezuela team.

“It seems only one team - Argentina - is playing in the Sep 2 game,” joked a journalist.

The only silver lining was that the journos were finally allowed in to watch the entire practice session of the three Argentine goalkeepers.