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Football

03rd Jan 2022

Argentine DJ denies giving Lionel Messi Covid after receiving death threats

DJ Fer Palacio has had to publicly deny transmitting Covid-19 to Lionel Messi after he received death threats following a photo of the pair together

Reuben Pinder

The DJ received a ‘mountain’ of abusive messages

Argentine DJ Fer Palacio has had to publicly deny giving Lionel Messi Covid-19 after he was pictured with the Paris Saint-Germain star at a party over the Christmas holidays.

PSG confirmed on Sunday that Messi had contracted the virus over the break while spending time in his native Rosario, Argentina.

During his time back home, the forward attended ‘several’ parties, according to ESPN, one of which saw him link up with Fer Palacio, who posted a picture of them together.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYAJdvTOltk/

Fer Palacio had been at parties where other attendees had later tested positive for Covid-19, prompting a barrage of abuse in his direction, with Messi fans accusing the 31-year-old of infecting their footballing icon with the virus.

In a video posted to his Instagram story, Fer Palacio said: “I am a trend on Twitter because Messi tested positive for COVID-19,” explaining that he had tested negative and does not have the virus.

“They relate this to me saying that I infected him. They have even called me ‘murderer.’ I have a lot of very bad private messages. Yesterday I got tested because I have to travel to Uruguay, and I do not have COVID-19.”

On Saturday, Messi posted and end-of-year thank you message to his fans, saying: “I can only give thanks for everything that I had to live in this 2021. Even more so when many people had a really bad time because of the s—ty virus that never ends. Hopefully 2022 brings a lot of health, which is what I wish you all for the new year. Hug to everyone!!!”

The playmaker, who has six goals for PSG in all competitions this season, is isolating in Argentina and will only return to Paris once he has tested negative, his coach Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed.

Argentina Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia has sent his best wishes to the country’s captain and greatest ever player.

“Dear Leo, I wish you a speedy recovery and that you can navigate this virus in the mildest possible way. Here we wait for you, to enjoy your magic again, with this shirt that we love so much,” he wrote in a tweet.