No Messi, no joy: Hongkongers want refunds after star player stays on the bench

The Hong Kong crowd was disappointed and angry when they did not see stars like Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez playing as Inter Miami defeated the Hong Kong team 4-1 on Sunday.

One fan who ran onto the pitch had a memorable night though, as he managed to get the autograph of Miami’s co-owner David Beckham after bowing down to him, despite being stopped by security guards

Miami’s coach Gerardo Martino said sorry and asked for the public’s comprehension, explaining that it was too risky to play Messi and Suarez

“The medical team has been monitoring Messi’s condition every day and he participated in the training session yesterday

However, the choice [to not play Messi] was made in the afternoon after a final health check this morning,” Martino said

Messi has an adductor inflammation, Martino added

Hong Kong’s captain Yapp Hung-fai said it was a pity that the team did not face Messi, but acknowledged that Miami had other talented players

Hong Kong’s coach Jorn Andersen said he and the team were only concerned with winning the game and praised players’ performance in equalizing the score in the first half

Suarez briefly warmed up, but Messi stayed on the bench the whole game

Author
Recent Posts

Favian Ningrum

Hailing from Indonesia, Favian Ningrum is a passionate writer with a deep love for the AFC Champions League and an unyielding allegiance to Liverpool. Favian's articles seamlessly blend the thrill of continental competitions with his insights into the global footballing landscape. As an AFC aficionado and Liverpool fanatic, Favian's analysis goes beyond the surface, delving into the intricacies of tactics and the stories that unfold on and off the pitch.

Latest posts by Favian Ningrum (see all)