Lionel Messi blames thigh muscle discomfort for not playing in Hong Kong football friendly after furore over no-show on pitch
- Argentinian says it was ‘bad luck’ that he couldn’t play in Hong Kong, after he felt discomfort with thigh muscle following match in Saudi Arabia last week
- Sunday’s Hong Kong friendly, a sell-out with nearly 40,000 fans attending, ended with boos and demands for refunds
Star footballer Lionel Messi has broken his silence over his no-show at Inter Miami’s match in Hong Kong on Sunday, saying it was “a shame” that thigh muscle discomfort had made it difficult for him to play and that he hoped to return “whenever he can” after tens of thousands of furious fans vented their anger.
Messi, training in Tokyo after leaving Hong Kong for the next stage of the US team’s tour, on Tuesday said he had wanted to take part in the game in the city.
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Messi says having to sit out Hong Kong friendly was ‘unfortunate’
“It was bad luck that I couldn’t play in the Hong Kong match,” the 36-year-old told a press conference ahead of Inter Miami’s friendly against J-League champions Vissel Kobe at the Japan National Stadium on Wednesday.
“I hope we can come back and play a game in Hong Kong.
“But the truth is that it is a shame that I was not able to participate.”
He said that he felt discomfort in his adductor, a thigh muscle, after a match in Saudi Arabia last week.
