Hong Kong was shaking with Lionel Messi fever. Thousands of spectators turned up at the Hong Kong Stadium on Sunday, buying exorbitant tickets to see his magic with football. But they left the field with frustration and anger. The Argentine forward did not play due to an injury. Football fans were outraged by the sudden decision not to play Messi. After almost a week, Inter Miami expressed regret. At the same time, the MLS club said the decision was essential.
On the day of the match, Messi was not even seen warming up in front of 40,000 spectators at the Hong Kong Stadium. The medical staff later decided it would be too much of a risk to play him and Luis Suarez. Miami has fielded the team without them to get the two fit throughout the season. In a statement, the club said, “We had the highest desire. We understand the disappointment of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez’s absence from Sunday’s match. We regret that two players could not participate.
They explained, ‘We acknowledge that the last-minute decision has disappointed our Hong Kong supporters and event promoter, Tatler Asia. But one thing must be said: injuries are an unfortunate part of this beautiful game, and the health of our players comes first. Despite not playing in Hong Kong, Messi came on as a 60th-minute substitute three days later against J-League side Vissel Kobe in Tokyo. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner failed to capitalize on two chances in Miami’s loss in the tiebreaker after a goalless draw.