Inter Miami Faces Backlash in Hong Kong: Messi's Injury and Fans' Fury

Angry fans in Hong Kong expressed their discontent during a pre-season friendly match involving Inter Miami as Lionel Messi was benched due to a hamstring injury. Despite Inter Miami’s victory over a local League XI, chants of “refund” and booing disrupted a speech by Inter co-owner David Beckham.

The Hong Kong government expressed disappointment stating they were assured Messi would play at least 45 minutes. However, they were only informed of his inability to play 10 minutes before the match ended due to an abductor injury.

The government’s major sports events committee expressed extreme disappointment with the organizer’s handling of the situation. The organizer, Tatler Asia decided to withdraw its application for a government grant of 16 million Hong Kong dollars due to Messi’s absence.

Despite the high ticket prices and a near capacity crowd, Messi and Suarez didn’t feature in the match due to injuries. Inter Miami’s manager Gerardo Martino apologized for the absence of Messi and Suarez stating it was a decision made with the medical staff to avoid risking further injuries.