SL stadium ready for action first time since Messi mess

Kolkata: As live action returns to Vivekananda Yuvabharati Krirangan in Salt Lake on Saturday with the opening ceremony of the Indian Super League and the inaugural clash between defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Kerala Blasters FC, the stands of the iconic stadium will tell a quieter story — one of damage, repair and recovery.At least 10,000 bucket chairs will remain missing or unusable inside the arena, their empty slots draped in black cloth to conceal the scars of Dec 13, when fans ran amok during the Lionel Messi's event at the venue.
On the eve of the tournament opener, labourers were seen working overtime, tightening bolts and refitting plastic seats ripped out during the GOAT India Tour. The Argentine star arrived at the stadium with Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul to deafening cheers. But he left barely 22 minutes later — over 40 minutes ahead of schedule — after what officials described as a security breach triggered by unauthorised entries.Inside the stadium that morning, anticipation curdled into fury within seconds. Thousands who waited hours erupted in anger. Seats were uprooted and hurled, bottles rained down, fans stormed the pitch, the roof of the players' tunnel was smashed, goalpost nets were torn apart and temporary tents inside the complex were set ablaze. Exactly 2 months later, the repair work continues even on the eve of the opening ceremony.A contractor said around 5,000 chairs were reinstalled over the past three days, but more than 10,000 remain to be repaired. "Some chairs are damaged beyond repair, but most can be fixed. The numbers, however, no longer match. We were instructed to complete the job at the earliest so the venue can host the game," said a worker engaged in the process.While upper galleries have been restored, several rows in the lower tiers still show visible gaps. Broken fibre sheets and discarded plastic seats lay piled in corners as welders repaired iron grille gates that were smashed during the unrest.The players' tunnel roof has been rebuilt, fresh goalpost nets have been put up and patches of astroturf relaid. A senior Mohun Bagan official said: "We identified the damaged sections and decided to cover broken and empty slots with black cloth for now. We hope the remaining chairs will be fixed as the tournament progresses."