Hyderabad, December 13 (H.S.): Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will attend football legend Lionel Messi’s GOAT India Tour 2025 event at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium here on Friday. The high-profile event is drawing massive public interest as Messi is set to play a friendly match in the city.

Rahul Gandhi will witness a short friendly match between the teams Aparna-Messi All Stars and Singareni RR9, led by Lionel Messi and Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy respectively. The match will last for around 15 to 20 minutes. Ahead of the game, Messi, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Rahul Gandhi will briefly join together on the field and dribble the ball, adding to the event’s attraction.

Gandhi is scheduled to arrive in Hyderabad on a special flight at 4.30 pm and will proceed to the Taj Falaknuma Palace Hotel, where Messi is staying. After watching the match, he will depart for New Delhi at around 10.30 pm.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made at the stadium for the event. Rachakonda Police Commissioner Sudheer Babu said that around 3,000 police personnel have been deployed to ensure safety and smooth conduct of the programme.

The much-awaited GOAT India Tour 2025 began on Saturday night with Messi’s arrival at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport in Kolkata. He is accompanied by his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, much to the delight of Indian football fans.

Thousands of supporters are eagerly awaiting Messi’s appearance in Hyderabad, where the stadium is expected to host nearly 39,000 spectators. Authorities have made extensive arrangements for crowd management and traffic regulation. Police have clarified that only valid ticket holders will be allowed entry into the stadium.

Traffic restrictions have been imposed on roads surrounding the stadium in the Uppal area. Messi is scheduled to arrive at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at around 4 pm and will travel to Taj Falaknuma Palace to attend a programme before heading to the stadium. After the event, he will return to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, a known football enthusiast, has been practising with players at various grounds in the city over the past few days. During the match, the Chief Minister will wear jersey number 9, while Messi will don his iconic jersey number 10, adding to the excitement surrounding the friendly encounter.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar