Argentina, Venezuela stars arrive amid fan frenzy

The countdown for the city's date with Lionel Messi commenced as Argentinian footballers including star strikers Gonzalo Higuaín and Sergio Aguero arrived in Kolkata on Tuesday.

They were accompanied by 19 members of the Venezuela team, all who arrived in different batches for their FIFA International friendly on September 2.

The organisers did not reveal anything about Messi's arrival, but sources said that that the Argentinian skipper will land in Kolkata at around 3:10am on Wednesday.

Messi is due to arrive along with his Barca and Argentina teammate Javier Mascherano.

Messi scored a brace in Barcelona's 5-0 rout of Villareal in their La Liga match on Monday.

Even as the football-crazy city waited with bated breath for Messi, the excitement was quite palpable at the airport where hundreds of fans gathered on Tuesday morning to welcome the Argentinian stars who landed in Kolkata at around 8:15am.

The Argentinians landed in two batches with Manchester City striker Aguero and international midfielder Ricardo Alvarez among nine footballers who touched down at around 3:10am.

Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria and forward Higuaín along with Malaga defender Martín Demichelis arrived in the second lot of six.

The fans shouted 'three cheers for Argentina', 'three cheers for Messi' as the Albicelestes boarded the team bus that took them to team hotel adjacent to match venue -- Yuba Bharati Krirangan.