How Lionel Messi saved journalists after they were detained by authorities in Ukraine

• A Journalist in Ukraine has revealed how they de-escalated tensions with authorities after showing a photo of Lionel Messi
• Another journalist displayed a tattoo of Argentina football legend and former Barcelona star Diego Maradona on his calf
• The two journalists are currently in besieged Ukraine reporting on the conflict there after Russia's invasion

Argentina legends Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona the reasons two South American journalists working in Ukraine amid the Russian invasion were not killed, it has been revealed.

According to Daily Mail, the reporters were stopped at a checkpoint and taken to a police station for questioning by the authorities.

And it was then when a picture of Messi — and a tattoo of Diego Maradona — allowed them the journalists to prove that they were not acting as spies.

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In a post on his Instagram story, Chilean reporter Daniel Matamala disclosed how a photo with Lionel Messi saved him after they were detained by authorities in Ukraine

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"Today, at one of the road checkpoints, the police seized our documents, cameras, telephones, and escorted us to the police station. The first interrogations were tense: it is a country at war and spies or saboteurs are suspected.

"Until one of the policemen saw the passports of my Argentine colleagues and among a lot of words in Ukrainian, he said two that we understood 'Messi' and 'Maradona'. That's where everything changed. Our great cameraman Juan Zamudio showed that he has a tattoo of Diego Maradona in the calf."

Panizza added: "It's so big that a picture of Messi helped us get out of a police station in Ukraine. Thank you for this photo and for being Argentine."

Barcelona President Insists He Does Not Regret Allowing Messi to Leave

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Barcelona chief Joan Laporta has disclosed despite Messi's departure from the Camp Nou being the saddest decision he has made; he does not regret making the call.

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Messi and Barcelona shared an impermeable bond since 2001, when the Argentine playmaker joined the fabled La Masia - Barcelona's academy.

The marriage between the seven-time Balon d'Or winner and the Catalan giants was meant to last forever until reality hit Barcelona, when they had to part with their most prized asset due to financial constraints.

Fans Slam Lionel Messi For Poor Show Against Real Madrid

Paris Saint-German forward Lionel Messi has come under fire following his abysmal performance in their loss to Real Madrid on Wednesday night.

The Los Blancos pulled off one of the great Champions League comebacks on Wednesday as Karim Benzema scored a breath-taking hat-trick to upstage Kylian Mbappe and dump the French giants out in the last 16.

Unlike Mbappe, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner failed to make an impact against his old foes, with the closest he came to scoring was his late free-kick which did not trouble Thibaut Courtois.