da realbet： Angry fans in Hong Kong have been offered a 50% refund on their tickets following Lionel Messi’s no-show in a friendly fixture featuring Inter Miami.

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Argentine was in travelling squadStayed on the bench for 90 minutesFeatured against Vissel Kobe days laterWHAT HAPPENED?

The Argentine superstar did form part of the Herons’ travelling squad as they made their way from Saudi Arabia to the Far East. He was, however, nursing a knock and remained rooted to the bench – alongside fellow ex-Barcelona forward Luis Suarez – throughout an exhibition match in Hong Kong.

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Disgruntled supporters were quick to air their anger – with jeers aimed in the direction of Messi and Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham – while there have been government calls for explanations as to why the supposed star of the show played no part in front of 40,000 expectant fans.

WHAT TATLER ASIA SAID

Game organisers Tatler Asia have said in a post in social media, with Messi cleared to play 30 minutes of a match in Japan against Vissel Kobe just three days later: “We apologise to all those who were disappointed by the football match between the Hong Kong Team and Inter Miami on Sunday, February 4th. An event that we had hoped to be the pride of the city, and which we have worked very hard on for months, has become the source of great heartbreak.

"But we are also heartbroken. We put our blood and sweat into bringing a world-class football match to Hong Kong and we were let down along with all of you. Inter Miami had committed under contract that their marquee players – Messi, Alba, Busquets and Suarez – would be required to play for 45 minutes unless injured. But as it turned out, we were informed by Inter Miami CF that Messi and Suarez could not play due to injury. Fans come to see a football game and star players, and injuries are part of the game. But what upsets us was the seeming lack of respect shown to the crowd. When we learned that Messi would not be playing, we pleaded with Inter Miami CF ownership and management to urge him to stand up, engage with the spectators and explain why he couldn’t play. He didn’t. The fact that Messi and Suarez played in Japan on February 7th feels like another slap in the face."

DID YOU KNOW?

The statement went on to say: “We have invested millions of dollars and months of hard work into bringing a world-class event to Hong Kong, the city that is our home and where we have been headquartered for more than 45 years. Our aspiration was to create an iconic moment in support of the government’s efforts to remind the world how relevant and exciting Hong Kong is. That dream is broken today for us and all those who bought tickets to see Messi on the pitch. We have been in discussions with the government to resolve the issue. We also invited the Consumer Council to participate in the talks. We will not escape out responsibility as organisers and that is why Tatler Asia will offer all of those who purchased match-day tickets from the official channels a 50% refund. Once again, we are deeply sorry.”