The organiser of Inter Miami’s ill-fated match in Hong Kong, in which star player Lionel Messi failed to appear, said it would offer refunds of 50%, after the Hong Kong government as well as football fans harshly criticised the event. The refunds will cost Tatler Asia, a magazine and lifestyle brand, $56m HKD (£5.7m). Messi’s failure to play in the much-hyped friendly match on Sunday, because of a groin injury, sparked outrage in Hong Kong, with fans booing the 36-year-old player for not coming on to the pitch. The controversy…
Tag: Inter Miami
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami call off China tour
Lionel Messi won’t be playing in China this month after all. Inter Miami announced Wednesday that its planned trip to China for a pair of exhibition matches has been called off. The team announced the trip last month, with a pair of games originally scheduled for 5 November and 8 November. It would have been at least the eighth time that Messi – the World Cup champion for Argentina and now an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, after receiving the annual award yet again earlier this week – played in China,…