Lionel Messi apologizes to Hong Kong fans for his absence in the friendly: “Many false things have been said”

Lionel Messi is 48 hours away from starting his first full season with Inter Miami in the MLS. But the Florida team’s move to Asia is still making headlines. The absence of the Argentine champion in the friendly match against a team from Hong Kong First Division This sparked anger and even intervention from the government of that country, with economic consequences for the organizer of the meeting and also for Argentina national teamwho was barred from traveling to southern China in March for the FIFA window.

“As everyone knows, I always want to play, I felt that I didn’t want to play for political reasons and many other things that have nothing to do with it. If that had been the case, I would not have traveled to Japan or gone to China as I have done on several occasions since I started my career. I have always had a very close relationship with China, I have always done things like interviews, matches, events and many matches both with Barcelona and with the national team”, explained the world champion.

And he added: “As I said in the press conference, I had an inflammation of the adductor and could not participate, In the first match I played in Saudi Arabia I felt it, in the second I tried to play a little but it was worse. The day before the friendly match in Hong Kong I tried to train and work hard for all the people who were there.but the truth is I couldn’t play.”