Messi tribute brings applause and a chorus for Di María during Rosario derby

The tribute to Lionel Messi reached an awkwardly charged setting on Sunday: the Gigante de Arroyito, during the Rosario derby between Rosario Central and Newell's Old Boys. The AFA protocol called for the match to stop in the 10th minute, but there was uncertainty over how Central's supporters would respond to a tribute honoring a player associated with their fiercest rival.

The answer was a scene of both respect and local pride. The players applauded as a commemorative video appeared on the stadium's giant screen. Central's stands joined in, then used the pause to chant unanimously for Ángel Di María, their own emblem: “Fideo, Fideo, Fideo...”

Di María applauded continuously from the stoppage until the referee restarted the match, recognizing Messi, his friend and former Argentina teammate. The game had begun fiercely, with heavy challenges and two yellow cards in the first five minutes, and resumed with the same friction that defines the Rosario derby.

Newell's had already prepared its own tribute before kickoff. The club took the field wearing a special patch with Messi's image and the words “Thank you, Leo.” The same phrase appeared on captain Luca Regiardo's armband, preserving the club's gesture toward the 2022 world champion.

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Thank you, Leo