Organizers of a highly publicized soccer match aimed at showcasing Lionel Messi in Hong Kong said on Friday that some They announced that they would issue a refund.
Hong Kong fans’ discontent stemming from Messi’s groin injury that kept him on the bench for the full 90 minutes in a match against his hometown team earlier this week has spread to mainland China after the Argentina star played 30 minutes in the match. Ta. Inter Miami’s latest exhibition match in Asia will be held in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Over the past two days, many social media users in mainland China have expressed disappointment at Messi’s absence, with China’s state-run newspaper Global Times reporting that the fallout from the controversy surrounding the soccer star is having a “huge impact.” An editorial was published. It goes beyond the realm of sports. ”
In an Instagram post on Friday, local organizers Tatler Asia apologized to those disappointed by the match and said they were offended by “the seeming lack of respect for the crowd”.
The newspaper pleads with Inter Miami’s management to force Messi to explain to the crowd after learning that the soccer star, who is contractually obligated to play 45 minutes unless injured, will not play. I reiterated what I had done.
“He didn’t. The fact that Messi…played in Japan on February 7th feels like another slap in the face,” the article said.
Organizers said they were in talks with the government on how to resolve the issue and details of refund arrangements were expected to be announced by mid-March.
“We cannot escape our responsibility as organizers, which is why Tatler Asia is offering a 50% refund to everyone who purchased match-day tickets through official channels.”
Tatler Asia already announced on Monday that it was withdrawing its application for funding from the city government to host the games.
Following the announcement, the Hong Kong government issued a statement welcoming the deal and calling it a responsible move.
However, the newspaper said that Hong Kong society still has many questions about the incident, especially after seeing Messi in action in Japan, and hopes that Inter Miami will provide a rational explanation to the public. Ta.
PR After the disaster broke out on Sunday, Messi explained why he did not play at a press conference in Tokyo and sought to address the widespread disappointment.
He also said on Chinese social media platform Weibo that he was disappointed that he could not play in Hong Kong due to injury.
In his post, he said he would like to return to Hong Kong to play for the fans and go to mainland China to share the joy of soccer.
However, his appearance in Wednesday’s game against Tokyo prompted criticism of his absence beyond Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s government was trying to use Sunday’s match to boost the city’s image as a center for large-scale events.
The Global Times on Wednesday night said in an editorial that Messi and Inter Miami’s explanations were not convincing, noting that there was some speculation about the move.
“One theory is that Hong Kong intended to revitalize the economy through this incident, and that their actions were politically motivated, as external forces deliberately tried to embarrass Hong Kong through this incident. “Yes.” “Given the development of the situation, we cannot rule out this possibility of speculation.”
Pro-China politicians in Hong Kong also expressed similar opinions. Regina Yip, a key member of Hong Kong’s Cabinet’s Executive Council, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Messi should never be allowed to return to Hong Kong. His lies and hypocrisy are disgusting.”
The match in Japan concluded Inter Miami’s global promotional tour, which started in El Salvador, went to Dallas, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and ended in Tokyo.
Inter won only one of their six matches.
Miami’s preseason season concludes on February 16th in Florida against Newell’s Old Boys, Messi’s childhood club in Rosario, Argentina. Many expect him to finish his career there.
