Kolkata-bound Argentine midfielder detained at Dubai airport

Argentine midfielder Jose Sosa was on Tuesday detained for hours at the Dubai airport after he was denied visa on arrival, said organisers of the FIFA international friendly between Argentina and Venezuela to be held here on September 2.

Kolkata: Argentine midfielder Jos Sosa was on Tuesday detained for hours at the Dubai airport after he was denied visa on arrival, said organisers of the FIFA international friendly between Argentina and Venezuela to be held here on September 2.

Sosa, who plays for Ukranian club Metalist Kharkiv, was to arrive here via New Delhi at 3.15pm, but he was denied visa on arrival, executive director of Celebrity Management Group, Bhaswar Goswami told reporters. "He was detained at the Dubai airport for hours. Later we got in touch with him and had to reschedule his journey. He will now come with another batch of Argentines who are scheduled to arrive from Frankfurt late tonight," Goswami said. Most of the Argentines, including coach Alejandro Sabella, have already landed in the city. Star attraction Lionel Messi and his Barca teammate Javier Mascherano, who played in a La Liga match last night, will arrive in the wee hours of tomorrow. Argentina play two international friendly in the subcontinent, with the first against Venezuela at the 120,000 capacity Yuba Bharati Krirangan here on September 2. They will then fly to Dhaka for their September 6 friendly against Nigeria. PTI