The city is in the grip of Messi mania and expectations are high from the men in blue and white jerseys.
With a full house expected at the Salt Lake Stadium, there will be overwhelming support for Argentina as they take on Venezuela in a friendly on Friday.
Friday's match will be the first-ever showdown on Indian soil involving two foreign national teams.
The 24-year-old Messi, twice World Footballer of the Year and nicknamed 'The Flea', will be cynosure of all eyes for the football-crazy city
From Kolkata, the Argentines travel to Dhaka for a second friendly against Nigeria on September 6.
Around 2,000 fans, many of them decked in Argentina’s strip with Messi’s name and number, thronged Kolkata airport when Messi arrived on Wednesday.
