Lionel Messi's Brother Matias Wanted After Blood, Gun Found Aboard Boat

Matias Messi, the brother of Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi, is wanted by Argentinian police after a gun was discovered aboard his boat, which reportedly had "blood spattered all over" it.

Gerard Couzens of MailOnline reported a .380 handgun was found on the vessel after the 35-year-old informed a security guard at a private fishing club that he had cut his face following a collision with a sandbank.

Police are still to locate Matias Messi after prosecutor Jose Luis Caterina issued a warrant for his arrest. It's said he drove himself to a treatment centre, having been been arrested in the past for possession of a firearm, per Couzens' report.

BBC World Service's Tom Kavanagh posted an image of the boat:

Couzens noted Matias, the younger of Lionel Messi's two older brothers, was given a probation order after a gun was found in his car in 2016, seven years after a 2008 arrest for holding a firearm in his belt. 

Details of a 2011 assassination attempt on Matias' life were also mentioned. He managed to survive the shooting after diving for cover at his home, where four 9 mm bullets were later discovered lodged in the walls.

The news came six days after Barcelona announced Lionel had signed a new contract with the club.

According to Forbes' Christina Settimi, the new $667,000-per-week (£495,000 per week) deal will make Messi the highest-paid footballer in the world: He stands to earn $130 million (£96.5 million) this season if bonuses are paid in full.