Messi’s Absence Due To Injury On Field Got The Fans Furious In Hong Kong

Heartbreak befell Lionel Messi’s supporters after three days of lavish attention in Hong Kong, when the Argentine star did not participate in Sunday’s sellout friendly match between Inter Miami and a local League XI, which ended 4-1.

Messi’s Absence Due To Injury On Field Got The Fans Furious In Hong Kong

The Hong Kong government warned that match organizer Tatler Asia may lose funds if Messi sits out the game. Fans also screamed “refund” during the game.

As Miami’s global tour continues, the MLS club recently won 4-1 in Hong Kong Stadium in front of 40,000 spectators. But the Tata Martino-led squad managed to win without Lionel Messi or Luis Suarez on the field.

The bulk, if not all, of the audience had come to watch Messi play, so they were understandably angry that his South American colleagues were only spectators on the sideline as the Spaniards Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets took the field.

The government released a statement announcing that the Major Sports Events Committee (MSEC) had awarded 15 million Hong Kong dollars ($1.92 million) for the event in addition to a grant of one million dollars for the site.

“Regarding Messi not playing the match today, the government, as well as all football fans, are extremely disappointed about the organisers’ arrangement. The organiser owes all football fans an explanation,” the government’s major sports events committee (MSEC) said.

“The MSEC will take follow-up actions with the organiser according to the terms and conditions, which includes reducing the amount of funding as a result of Messi not playing the match.”

Each ticket for the nearly full Hong Kong Stadium (38,323) cost more than 1,000 Hong Kong dollars (£101).

However, Messi was not in the game, and Luis Suarez, a striker from Uruguay who signed with Inter Miami in December, was also out due to a knee ailment.

Chants of “we want Messi” became louder in the second half as the captain of Argentina, who was signed in July, remained on the sidelines.

Playing Messi and Suarez might have increased the chance of their ailments getting worse, according to Miami head coach Gerardo Martino.

“Well, Leo has swelling in the adductor (muscle)…. when we sat down with the medical team they voiced their view that it was very risky for this footballer to play today,” he stated to reporters.

“In Luis’ case, he has a problem with his knee. After the second match in (Saudi) Arabia, he woke up swollen. So he wasn’t fit for today’s match.

“We understand the disappointment from the crowd who came to the stadium today that Leo and Luis were absent,” he said.

Why Messi did not play in Hong Kong?

Messi was not allowed to play because of inflammation in his adductor, or groin muscle, which the club had been keeping an eye on since before the second of the tour’s two games in Saudi Arabia. Prior to that match against Al Nassr, Messi underwent an MRI for this condition.

Why Messi cannot stay in Barcelona?

Whether or whether they can afford to pay them is irrelevant. When Messi departed Barcelona in 2021, this was the problem. Despite having agreed to a new contract, he was forced to depart since he could not be registered due to the wage cap regulation. In the end, he signed with Paris Saint-Germain.

Is Messi retiring in 2024?

Messi, who has said he will retire before the 2026 World Cup, was included in the squad despite carrying a muscle problem which has kept him out of action for club side Inter Miami.

 

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