#WeAreAllLeoMessi campaign backfires

Spanish giants Barcelona launched the #WeAreAllLeoMessi campaign on Twitter to generate support from the club’s fans across the world for Argentine forward Lionel Messi, who was convicted of tax fraud and sentenced to 21 months in jail on Wednesday.

The Catalan side must have expected that fans across the globe would get behind the best player on the planet, however, they soon found out how wrong their initial assumption was.

The club asked fans to “express their sympathy for the greatest footballer in the world by voicing their unconditional support on social networks.”

“We want Leo to know that he is not alone,” the club said on their website.

Barcelona's Messi to appeal tax fraud sentence

Nevertheless, fans on Twitter weren’t so kind to Barcelona’s efforts and used the hashtag to criticise the player and the club.

Twitter reacts as Messi sentenced to 21 months in prison

Barcelona star Messi sentenced to 21 months in prison

And it was pretty obvious who Pakistanis were going to equate Lionel Messi with:

This article originally appeared on Goal.com