Lionel Messi’s brother arrested for illegal gun possession in Argentina

Lionel Messi’s brother was held after an alleged violent spat with police following the discovery of an unlicensed gun in his car.

Matias Messi reportedly wrestled with officers after refusing to show them documents for his Audi A5 or let them search the vehicle during a routine stop in his native Argentine city of Rosario.

Local reports said he tried to throw the keys to his car into a friend’s home near the search point.

Matias is said to have suffered a cut to an eyebrow and two officers were reportedly taken to hospital with foot and knee injuries.

He was released from police precinct 16 four hours later, after a judge opened an official probe into the footballer's brother for alleged illegal weapon possession.

It is not the first time Messi’s older brother has had a run-in with the police

In October 2008 he was arrested for allegedly having a loaded gun in his belt.

In April 2011 he survived an attempted assassination.

The 32-year-old dived for cover as a gunman on a motorbike sprayed bullets at his house. Police found four 9mm handgun rounds lodged in the building.