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MESSI BUSINESS Lionel Messi’s brother accused of assaulting police after ‘threatening driver with gun’ Barcelona star's older sibling was held at a police station in Argentina on Sunday after being arrested for the second time in just over three months LATEST By Gerard Couzens 5th March 2018, 8:43 am Updated: 5th March 2018, 9:27 am LIONEL MESSI'S wayward brother has been accused of assaulting police who tried to arrest him after he allegedly threatened a driver he had crashed into with a gun, it emerged today. A state prosecutor confirmed police had said Matias Messi resisted arrest after being stopped following the accident in the Argentinian holiday resort of Villa Gesell on Saturday night. BACKGRID 6 Lionel Messi's brother Matias was arrested for the second time in just over three months on Saturday Get the best Football stories with our daily newsletter Your information will be used in accordance with our privacy policy Enter your email address here... Sign me up It emerged yesterday Javier Rivera, 24, had accused the footballer’s elder sibling of threatening him with a pistol after a confrontation following the crash. Rivera's lawyer also backed up his story, claiming Matias had insulted and assaulted his client and driven at him before fleeing the scene and being stopped by police. The 35-year-old, who is understood to be claiming he left the scene out of fear for his safety after being attacked first, spent Saturday night in a police cell. A judge had been due to decide late last night night local time whether to release him or validate the decision to hold him and remand him in custody, although it was not immediately clear this morning if a court hearing and any decision had taken place. GETTY - CONTRIBUTOR 6 Matias Messi, left, has been arrested in Buenos Aires Juan Pablo Calderon, the duty prosecutor handed the case over the weekend, confirmed late yesterday: “I have asked the judge to keep him in custody because of the allegations that have been made against him. “State prosecutors are accusing him of three things. One is threats aggravated by the use of a firearm together with light wounding, another is damage, and the third resisting the police. “We understand he resisted because of what is in writing in the case reports. “He tried to assault the officers who were identifying him.” GETTY - CONTRIBUTOR 6 Matias Messi is said to have fled the scene after taking the gun out of his car boot following a struggle Confirming no gun had been found in the black Range Rover Matias Messi was stopped in, just two half-smoked cigarettes thought to be cannabis joints, he said: “The alleged victim as well as other eyewitnesses have said this person had a firearm.” He added: “I’m not clear on whether he said who he was when he was stopped to try to prevent being held. “But the officers say he insulted and attacked them. They said he acted in a hostile manner. We’re still looking into this but it doesn’t appear that he told the police who he was.” He also confirmed both men involved in the traffic accident had “black eye”-type injuries after allegedly “exchanging blows” and said Matias had pressed charges against the other motorist. Another state prosecutor, whose normal jurisdiction covers the area the incident occurred in, was due to take over from duty prosecutor Mr Calderon today. Mr Calderon said: “The judge has to decide whether to validate this apprehension because technically he’s not arrested and after that he will go to an appropriate place if the judge decides he must remain in custody, although of course he can release him. GETTY - CONTRIBUTOR 6 Lionel Messi's wayward older brother has been arrested Matias Messi was held after an accident with Volkswagen Lento driver Javier Rivera around 8pm on Saturday near a well-known nightclub in Villa Gesell called Pueblo Limite, around 230 miles south-east of the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires. The Range Rover the footballer’s brother was using has been sei