Barcelona hosting Inter Milan at the Camp Nou was supposed to be one of the most anticipated clashes of the Champions League group stage. But that was before Lionel Messi suffered an arm injury on Saturday and was ruled out with a fractured arm.
So Messi watched the game from the stands on Wednesday, with cameras watching his every reaction to the action on the pitch.
But more entertaining than the Barça-Inter match was Messi's son Thiago, who was seated next to the Argentine legend, enjoying the match with dear old dad.
Thiago was the best part of the Barcelona-Inter match on Wednesday, which Barcelona won 2-0.
Here’s Thiago lamenting Messi’s arm injury.
Here’s Messi's son plotting something devilish. (Seriously, thems some Monty Burns hands if I’ve ever seen them.)
Here’s Messi's son asking Dad if he can get some candy.
Messi conversando com o Thiago durante o jogo. pic.twitter.com/0nkinpBFkg
— Messi mil grau (@Messimilgrauu) October 24, 2018
Here’s some other kid wishing he was Messi's son.
Here's Messi and his son out standing in a field.
Messi and Thiago are father son Goals pic.twitter.com/WzBzpcSm9y
— S A M (@Cruyffootball) October 24, 2018
Here’s Messi's son getting really excited over something off screen right before the camera cuts away, leaving us all in suspense.
Messi and Thiago pic.twitter.com/Fb4rWfgISA
— Iniesta (@Donandresesque) October 24, 2018
Here’s the back of Messi and Thiago, just to give you an idea of how good their seats are. (Imagine that, Messi gets good seats at Camp Nou.)
Just spotted Messi with Thiago and I am absolutely speechless.... #madremía pic.twitter.com/92iTCCITXX
— Sarah (@AllAboutFutbol2) October 24, 2018
Here’s Messi wondering if he forgot to turn the oven off.
Here’s Messi and his son celebrating Barcelona’s first goal.
Messi (Leo and Thiago) celebrating the Rafinha goal pic.twitter.com/1RoSdfWXfD
— LioMessiStuff (@LioMessiStuff) October 24, 2018
Barcelona’s first goal came from the man who replaced Messi in the lineup: Rafinha. The right winger missed a chance to put the Blaugrana up with a beautiful goal when a Luis Suarez back heel set him up in the middle of the goal.
¡El Barça comienza a tejer su telaraña! Cerca de nuevo Rafinha de abrir el marcador @FCBarcelona - @inter
— Univision Deportes (@UnivisionSports) October 24, 2018
But Suarez found Rafinha a second time with another brilliant pass and this time the Brazilian made sure to finish.
¡GOOOOOOOOOOL!
¡La tercera es la vencida! @Rafinha recupera la pelota y Rafinha anota el primer gol del partido.@FCBarcelona - @interMira el partido EN VIVO por aquí: https://t.co/yznHDz9sIx #BARINT pic.twitter.com/F8JKbd6S2Y
— Univision Deportes (@UnivisionSports) October 24, 2018
Seriously, that pass.
The vision from @LuisSuarez9 to find Rafinha
( U.S. only) pic.twitter.com/hbYM2E8ufc— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 24, 2018
Thiago’s reaction made my day pic.twitter.com/2I6SSJykKa
— LEO MESSI (@MessiAddicts) October 24, 2018
Jordi Alba put the game away with a nice finish in the 83rd minute.
¡GOOOOLAZOOOO!
A lo Barça... Brillante combinación entre @ivanrakitic, @kingarturo23 y @JordiAlba define con una maravillosa SUTILEZA @FCBarcelona - @interMira el partido EN VIVO por aquí: https://t.co/yznHDz9sIx #BARINT pic.twitter.com/i4dIYo0jpP
— Univision Deportes (@UnivisionSports) October 24, 2018
But enough of the boring soccer. More Thiago please.
Messi, however, committed a cardinal sin of sports fandom: He left early. Shame, and we thought he'd teach his son well.