Why is Java Compiler giving an incoherent ".class expected" error?

If I have a piece of code like :

if(condition)
    int a = 0;

When I compile it, Java compiler produces an error .class expected .

I know that when we don't use braces, we can use only 1 statement after if.

And I also know that I will not be able to use the int variable a because as soon as the ; is encountered, the program comes out of if, and the variable a loses it's scope.

So, I am not surprised that an error is produced.

What surprises me is that the error says '.class' expected.

So what is Java compiler trying to say?