Police hunting two burglars who broke into home of Barcelona star Arthur Melo

Police are hunting two burglars who broke into the home of Barcelona midfielder Arthur and reportedly threatened his brother with a weapon.

The break-in happened during Barcelona’s 3-0 Champions League semi-final first leg victory against Liverpool on Wednesday night.

The two criminals are understood to have taken valuables including jewellery and a Rolex watch.

Arthur pictured with the Spanish league trophy after Barcelona clinched the title last weekend

A spokesman for the regional Mossos d’Esquadra police force, asked about reports Arthur Melo’s home had been targeted, confirmed officers were investigating a break-in at a house in the upmarket Barcelona neighbourhood of Pedralbes.

The spokesman added: ‘We would not say who lives at the property. All I can confirm is that we are investigating a break-in and robbery at an address in Pedralbes.’ 

Arthur, 22, did not take part in Wednesday’s game and watched his side win from the substitutes’ bench.

Local reports said his unnamed brother returned home around 11pm after the match to find two masked men in the house, who put a weapon similar to a screwdriver to his throat and forced him to open a safe with valuables inside. 

There were no reports of any injuries.

A number of top football stars in Spain have been targeted by criminals who broke into their homes while they were on footballing duty.

Arthur in action against Paul Pogba during Barcelona’s win over Manchester United last month

In February, burglars broke into former Premier League star Kevin Prince Boateng’s rented home in the upmarket Barcelona neighbourhood of Sarria and took around £250,000 of valuables and cash as he was playing against Valladolid.

As well as watches and jewellery, the burglars are also believed to have taken cash.

It later emerged it was the same house targeted by criminals last November when Barcelona left-back Jordi Alba was living there, and was on his way to Italy for a Champions League tie against Inter Milan.

In June last year burglars broke into the luxury home of Barcelona star Gerard Pique and his singer partner Shakira.

The footballer’s parents were said to have been asleep inside the mansion in Esplugues de Llobregat near Barcelona when the break-in occurred. They were unharmed.

Arthur was an unused substitute in Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Liverpool, in which Lionel Messi scored twice to put them on the verge of the Champions League final

Pique had travelled to the German city of Cologne where Shakira was performing and was not at home at the time.

The criminals, described as ‘professionals’ who left no fingerprints, reportedly took watches and expensive jewellery after timing their break-in to coincide with a storm which muffled any noise they were making.

In February last year burglars broke into former Liverpool star’s Philippe Coutinho’s home near Barcelona on the same day his car was towed away.

The midfielder had to get his Audi Q7 back from a municipal pound after visiting the famous Sagrada Familia monument with family and friends and leaving it badly parked.

Worse was to come when he returned to his luxury villa in Castelldefels a 30-minute drive south of the Catalan capital to find it had been burgled.

Philippe Coutinho, another Barcelona player, has also been targeted by burglars

The thieves are thought to have taken advantage of two ladders that had been left by a neighbouring property where work is going on to enter the mansion, the old home of Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas.

The thieves struck while the 26-year-old, who joined Barcelona on a £142million deal in January last year, was out for dinner after recovering his car.

Coutinho was enjoying some down-time with his wife Aine and friends after staying behind in Barcelona while his teammates travelled to Chelsea for their Champions League tie because he was ineligible to play in the competition.