Anger over Messi’s absence in Hong Kong game spreads
AN ARGENTINA football friendly in China next month was cancelled yesterday in more fallout from Lionel Messi failing to play in a club exhibition match in Hong Kong.
World Cup champions Argentina, captained by Messi, last month scheduled a tour of China during the international break from March 18-26. Games were lined up against Nigeria in Hangzhou and Côte d’Ivoire in Beijing. Both opponents are coincidentally meeting in the Africa Cup of Nations final this weekend.
But Messi, on tour with his Inter Miami club, outraged fans in Hong Kong when he didn’t play against a local selection last Sunday and remained on the bench. Messi said he had a groin injury. But his excuse didn’t wash in Hong Kong after he played for 30 minutes on Wednesday in Tokyo against Vissel Kobe.
Yesterday the sports bureau in Hangzhou cancelled the Argentina-Nigeria friendly.
“Because of the reasons known to all, we’ve learned from supervising authorities that the conditions are immature for the match to go forward. Now it’s been decided that the match will be cancelled,” the Hangzhou Sports Bureau announced on its official social media account.
An Argentina Football Association official told the Association Press it was aware the match was suspended and was looking for another venue to play Nigeria. The official spoke on condition of anonymity saying, “It’s a sensitive matter.”
Côte d’Ivoire’s friendly with Argentina in Beijing was going ahead as planned, the African team’s spokesperson Anne-Marie N’Guessan told the AP yesterday.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong organisers of the club friendly with Inter Miami said they will offer a 50 per cent refund following days of backlash against Messi from angry fans and the city government.
DISAPPOINTMENT
Many social media users in mainland China expressed their disappointment over Messi’s no-show, with China’s state-run newspaper, the Global Times, publishing an editorial that said the impact of the controversy surrounding the football superstar “has far exceeded the realm of sports”.
In an Instagram post yesterday, local organiser Tatler Asia apologised to those who were disappointed by Messi’s absence and said it was upset by “the seeming lack of respect shown to the crowd”.
It reiterated it pleaded with Inter Miami management to urge Messi to explain to the spectators after it learned Messi, who was required to play for 45 minutes unless injured under their contract, would not be playing.
“He didn’t. The fact that Messi ... played in Japan on February 7 feels like another slap in the face,” it said.
Tickets for the game cost up to 4,880 Hong Kong dollars (US$624) each.