Legal Help Required To End Lionel Messi’s No-Show Fallout Following $714K Worth of Backlash

Superstardom can have adverse effects. Lionel Messi chose to move to the USA, a considerably less soccer-loving nation, giving up the sport in Europe. However, the impact he has been creating hasn’t subsided yet. Ticket sales and prices, viewership, and merchandise sales have seen a massive surge for Inter Miami. However, after buying tickets worth $624 each, the crowd in Hong Kong reacted differently to Messi’s absence from Inter Miami’s friendly game against its national team. Reports suggest that the issue proved costly, including the requirement for legal help for complaints against them worth $714k.

Soccer fans in China and Hong Kong are outraged by the 8-time Ballon d’Or winner. According to the latest reports, their protests have now fetched them a 50% refund owing to their anger, which can sum up to $7.1 million However, this comes after Tatler Asia, which organized the match, set conditions that “proceedings before any court of law, tribunal [or] regulatory authority, ” cannot be pursued by the ticket holders if they want a refund.

Fans were distraught after the Argentine captain did not take the field for the entire match. The stadium, which was sold out with 38000 fans, expressed their disappointment instantly after the game by booing. Later the fans filed 825 complaints worth $714k to the consumer council, Tatler Asia. Lionel Messi was supposed to play the game but had to withdraw, as Tata Martino deemed him unfit due to an injury.

Meanwhile, Tatler Asia also said they were not informed till the first half about the 36-year-old’s dropping out and reported it to the government without delay. Stating further, they claimed that Inter Miami gave their commitment to playing Messi and Suarez for at least 45 minutes unless an injury. Nonetheless, Tatler also had to bear the brunt of the event.

More consequences for Lionel Messi’s Hong Kong game miss

Moreover, things turned worse after the 8-time Ballon d’Or winner played the next game in Japan, coming in as a substitute. It led to some people even calling out the star to have political reasons for skipping the match. Subsequently, the Inter Miami captain clarified that it was false, stating, “If that was the case, I wouldn’t have traveled to Japan or China as many times as I have,” revealing that his adductor injury was the reason.

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Furthermore, the planned visit of Argentina to China this month had to be called off because the audience expressed dissatisfaction. The Albiceleste were supposed to play two games in China against Nigeria and Ivory Coast, but will now play Nigeria and El Salvador in the USA. In summary, it looks like the China issue turned out to be more complicated than expected, and how this could impact Inter Miami further has to be seen.

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