Inter Miami’s Hong Kong tour must be memorable for the Herons, at least. Out of the 6 pre-season games so far, that was the only one where they clinched their first win. But the same cannot be said for the 38,000 fans, who went home in disappointment without a glimpse of Lionel Messi. More than fans, it was the organizers who were not only ‘let down,’ but were also forced to take a beating, as they reportedly lost $7.2 million for La Pulga’s no-show. 

A potential injury scare forced Tata Martino and Co. to bench the Argentinian superstar at the last minute. Messi’s absence dealt a significant blow not only to the spectators but also to the organizer’s finances. Fortune claims that Tatler Asia issued a 50% refund to ticket holders and also decided to return HK$16 million ($1.9 million) of government funding. All in all, it would lose a significant amount of HK$43 million ($5.5 million) for the mishap. 

This is a far cry from the HK$13 million ($1.6 million) profit that was originally projected. “We put our blood and sweat into bringing a world-class football match to Hong Kong and we were let down along with all of you,” stated the organizers in a statement, while slamming Inter Miami for showing a ‘lack of respect’ to the spectators. Additionally, the HK Government approved the monetary return and repeated its appeal for Inter Miami to explain Lionel Messi’s involvement in Japan immediately after missing the Hong Kong game due to an injury.

Earlier, Miami was slammed for deliberately selling tickets in the name of Lionel Messi, who eventually had to miss the match. This might even lead their star player to get banned from visiting the country. 

Lionel Messi becomes a persona non grata for Hong Kong!

The Hong Kong Executive Council convenor, Regina Ip Lau Suk Yee, didn’t seem to be happy about Lionel Messi’s absence from the Hong Kong XI vs. Inter Miami game. She slammed the Inter Miami playmaker, suggesting that a petition be filed against him. Expressing her frustrations on X, she wrote, “Messi should never be allowed to return to Hong Kong. His lies and hypocrisy are disgusting.”

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Notably, over 825 complaints worth $714K were received earlier from the Hong Kong fanbase. While the refund seems to be on the way, Lionel Messi earlier revealed that he wanted to play the match. However, muscle discomfort forced him to stay on the bench. “I hope we can return and we can play another game and I can be present,” he said.

For now, Hong Kong fans might take time to get over this incident, unless maybe Inter Miami returns to play another game with Messi in the lineup. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below. 

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