River Plate have officially apologised to Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, who was apparently spat at by River fans after guiding his side to their Club World Cup final victory in Yokohama.
Messi returned from a kidney problem to score the opening goal in the 3-0 win, with Luis Suarez adding two more, as Barca lifted a fifth trophy of the 2015 calendar year.
The Argentina captain was reportedly then spat at and insulted by some River fans who he encountered at Tokyo's Narita airport, as the Barca squad prepared to fly back to Europe, actions condemned strongly by River president Rodolfo D'Onofrio and the club's coach Marcelo Gallardo.
"In relation to the attack suffered by Lionel Messi at Narita airport, Club Atletico River Plate repudiates any type of violence and offers its apologies to the player and to FC Barcelona," Los Millionarios said in a statement. "At the same time, River Plate wishes to congratulate Barcelona for winning the 2015 World Club Cup played in Japan."
Messi has now scored in 23 of the 27 finals he has appeared in as a Barca player -- on the way to winning 26 career club trophies, including three Club World Cup crowns.
This final against River seemed an extra special game for Rosario-born Messi, who as a 12-year-old might have joined the Buenos Aires club, but instead joined Barca as they were better able to afford the $900-a-month hormone therapy he then required.
Leaving South America so young denied Messi a chance to build a close early relationship with fans in his home country and, even after winning so much at club level through the last decade, he has been criticised for not performing at his best in Argentina's 2014 World Cup and 2015 Copa America disappointments.
The 28-year-old told reporters after the Club World Cup final in Yokohama that he had not taken any extra pleasure from beating River in such a showpiece game, with proving that Barca were the world's best side being his only objective.
Messi is due to arrive in Buenos Aires on Tuesday to spend a short vacation in Rosario with his wife, Antonella Rocuzzo, and their two sons, Thiago and Mateo.
According to Argentine daily Ole, he is also due to participate in an awards ceremony on Dec. 27 in Dubai before the Catalan club host Betis on Dec. 30.