Messi said he didn’t play in China for political reasons
Argentine footballer Inter Miami Lionel Messi again addressed fans due to the situation with missing matches in China. His words are reported by The Guardian with reference to Weibo.
Messi said his performance was not influenced by political reasons. “If that were the case, I wouldn’t even go to Japan or visit China, which I did many times,” he said, noting that he did not take the field due to muscle discomfort.
On February 4, Messi was criticized for not taking the field in a friendly match between Inter Miami and the Hong Kong XI. Hong Kong officials said the government, like the fans, was disappointed by the incident.
Messi later apologized to the fans and explained that he missed the match due to injury. “Anyone who knows me knows that I always want to play. This is what I always want to do in any match,” he emphasized. The organizers of the meeting, in turn, promised fans to reimburse half the cost of the ticket.
Source: Lenta
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