Lionel Messi appears as substitute in Inter Miami shootout loss،
After leaving fans disappointed in Hong Kong, Lionel Messi made a 30-minute appearance in Tokyo on Wednesday during Inter Miami's final exhibition match in Asia – although he still left some supporters wanting more.
Messi came off the bench for the final half hour, energized his teammates and had probably the best chance of the match in the 80th minute with two point-blank shots that were both saved by the Vissel Kobe defense.
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After a 0–0 draw in regulation time, the match went to penalties and Vissel won the penalty shootout 4–3. Messi, however, did not take a penalty, drawing boos from the crowd of 28,614 spectators at the Tokyo National Stadium, which seats 68,000.
But it wasn't close to the level of boos that erupted in Hong Kong after Messi remained on the bench for the entire match with a groin injury. Some fans have requested refunds.
The Argentine star appeared contrite at a rare news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday as he addressed the public relations disaster. He had said he wasn't sure he was fit enough to play in Tokyo, and kept fans guessing until he started warming up in the second half, drawing loud cheers from the crowd. crowd.
“After training on Tuesday evening, [Messi] “We are very satisfied now, after the match ended, because Messi looked very comfortable.”
He did not explain why Messi did not take a penalty.
Messi told reporters on Tuesday that he felt “very good compared to a few days ago”, while adding that he was not sure if he was fit enough to play and would evaluate based on of the training.
Former Miami teammates Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suárez were all part of Martino's starting squad for Wednesday's game. Busquets was forced off the field midway through the first half after injuring his ankle.
The ties with Barcelona were even deeper for this match, as Blaugrana legend Andrés Iniesta spent five years with Vissel Kobe before moving to the United Arab Emirates to join Emirates in August 2023.
The match in Hong Kong attracted 40,000 fans, with spectators paying up to nearly HK$5,000 ($640) per ticket. In Tokyo, however, entire blocks of seats at Japan's National Stadium remained unoccupied.
“It's very gratifying to watch the live broadcast as he started to warm up,” said Tweety, a fan who watched the Hong Kong match on television and spoke to Reuters on Wednesday.
“I can't help but laugh when Suarez, Busquets, Alba, all the main players were present in the match. Messi really likes the Japanese fans more by playing 30 minutes.”
Some Hong Kong fans also commented on Inter Miami's YouTube live stream: “Refund refund refund refund” and “Arrest Messi under the national security law.”
Inter Miami won just one of their pre-season matches in a series that saw them beaten by Al Hilal and Al Nassr of the Saudi Pro League.
Messi was limited to a late appearance as a substitute in the 6-0 defeat to Al Nassr, which Cristiano Ronaldo missed due to injury.
Information from The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
