Trouble in Hong Kong: Messi explains break with injury

Football star Lionel Messi told disappointed fans in Hong Kong that he was missing his club Inter Miami's friendly match against Hong Kong XI because he was injured. “Unfortunately in football something can happen in every game and you can get injured,” said the 36-year-old Argentine on Tuesday at a press conference in the Japanese capital Tokyo. He previously felt he had a problem in his groin and an examination then showed swelling. It was not possible for him to play.

The multiple world footballer sat on the bench during Inter Miami's 4-1 win in the Chinese Special Administrative Region on Sunday, drawing the anger of many fans who had come to see him play. In truth, he was unlucky, said Messi. “It’s a shame because I always want to play, I want to be there, and especially when we travel so far and people are so happy to see us.”

Hong Kong government complains The Hong Kong government also complained after the game. Sports secretary Kevin Yeung said there had been contractual assurances that Messi would play at least 45 minutes provided there were no safety and health concerns. Many of the approximately 38 football fans in the stadium in Hong Kong booed and demanded their entrance fees back. Most fans in Hong Kong, like these children, had come to the stadium because of Lionel Messi. © APA/afp / PETER PARKS

The US club Inter Miami from Major League Soccer is currently on a tour of Asia. The next game is against Vissel Kobe in Japan on Wednesday. Whether the Japanese fans will see the Argentine world champion on the field remains uncertain. “In truth, I feel much better compared to two days before,” Messi said. It now depends on how the training goes. "To be honest, I still don't know whether I can play or not," he told the press in Tokyo.

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Trouble in Hong Kong: Messi explains break with injury

Many fans wanted to see Lionel Messi play in Hong Kong. But the superstar only sat on the bench. Now the Argentine speaks out.

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