<p>Hong Kong: Chinese state media, Hong Kong politicians and some fans swiftly condemned Argentine player Lionel Messi's participation in a match in Japan on Wednesday after staying on the bench just days earlier in a highly anticipated game in Hong Kong.</p><p>Many in the financial hub were dismayed on Sunday when the 36-year-old did not come onto the field during a much hyped Inter Miami match in front of a sell-out crowd, with fans demanding answers and a refund.</p><p>Miami Head Coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino said that Messi was deemed unfit to play in Sunday's friendly in Hong Kong, but he came on as a 60th minute substitute against Vissel Kobe on Wednesday.</p><p>China's state-controlled Global Times said Messi's absence posed many questions on the differential treatment for Hong Kong.</p><p>"The match in Hong Kong became the only one in Messi's six pre-season friendly matches on this trip where he was absent. The situation ... has magnified these doubts and suspicions on the integrity of Inter Miami and Messi himself."</p>.Anger over Messi’s behaviour grows in China ahead of Japan match.<p>Some mainland fans travelled 12 hours from Xinjiang to Hong Kong to see Messi, the <em>Global Times</em> wrote, with the disappointment of the government and fans "entirely understandable". The impact of this incident has far exceeded the realm of sports.</p><p>Messi apologised to his Chinese fans on <em>Weibo</em>, just ahead of the game on Wednesday, saying it was a real shame he was not able to play in Hong Kong due to an injury.</p><p>"Anyone who knows me knows that I always want to play... especially in these games where we travel so far, and people are excited to see our games. Hopefully we can come back and play a game in Hong Kong," he wrote in Chinese and Spanish.</p><p>The match in Hong Kong drew 40,000 fans, with spectators paying up to nearly HK$5,000 ($640) per ticket. In Tokyo, entire blocks of seating at the Japan National Stadium remained unoccupied, with just 28,614 tickets sold.</p><p>Hong Kong's Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said in a statement that, like the fans, it was very disappointed that Messi could not play in Hong Kong due to injury.</p><p>"However, three days later, Messi was able to play actively and freely in Japan ... the government hopes the organisers and teams can provide reasonable explanations."</p><p>Sports lawmaker Kenneth Fok said the incident "sprinkled salt wounds" on Hong Kong fans, while senior government advisor Regina Ip said that "Hong Kong people hate Messi, Inter-Miami and the black hand behind them, for the deliberate and calculate snub to Hong Kong".</p><p>Scott Wong, a 26-year-old cadet pilot, said that if Messi comes back to play in Hong Kong he would think twice before getting tickets, in case he is injured again.</p><p>"All the backlash Inter Miami got, plus Messi, I think he feels like he needs to make up for it. That's why he promised to come back and play the game again."</p>
<p>Hong Kong: Chinese state media, Hong Kong politicians and some fans swiftly condemned Argentine player Lionel Messi's participation in a match in Japan on Wednesday after staying on the bench just days earlier in a highly anticipated game in Hong Kong.</p><p>Many in the financial hub were dismayed on Sunday when the 36-year-old did not come onto the field during a much hyped Inter Miami match in front of a sell-out crowd, with fans demanding answers and a refund.</p><p>Miami Head Coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino said that Messi was deemed unfit to play in Sunday's friendly in Hong Kong, but he came on as a 60th minute substitute against Vissel Kobe on Wednesday.</p><p>China's state-controlled Global Times said Messi's absence posed many questions on the differential treatment for Hong Kong.</p><p>"The match in Hong Kong became the only one in Messi's six pre-season friendly matches on this trip where he was absent. The situation ... has magnified these doubts and suspicions on the integrity of Inter Miami and Messi himself."</p>.Anger over Messi’s behaviour grows in China ahead of Japan match.<p>Some mainland fans travelled 12 hours from Xinjiang to Hong Kong to see Messi, the <em>Global Times</em> wrote, with the disappointment of the government and fans "entirely understandable". The impact of this incident has far exceeded the realm of sports.</p><p>Messi apologised to his Chinese fans on <em>Weibo</em>, just ahead of the game on Wednesday, saying it was a real shame he was not able to play in Hong Kong due to an injury.</p><p>"Anyone who knows me knows that I always want to play... especially in these games where we travel so far, and people are excited to see our games. Hopefully we can come back and play a game in Hong Kong," he wrote in Chinese and Spanish.</p><p>The match in Hong Kong drew 40,000 fans, with spectators paying up to nearly HK$5,000 ($640) per ticket. In Tokyo, entire blocks of seating at the Japan National Stadium remained unoccupied, with just 28,614 tickets sold.</p><p>Hong Kong's Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said in a statement that, like the fans, it was very disappointed that Messi could not play in Hong Kong due to injury.</p><p>"However, three days later, Messi was able to play actively and freely in Japan ... the government hopes the organisers and teams can provide reasonable explanations."</p><p>Sports lawmaker Kenneth Fok said the incident "sprinkled salt wounds" on Hong Kong fans, while senior government advisor Regina Ip said that "Hong Kong people hate Messi, Inter-Miami and the black hand behind them, for the deliberate and calculate snub to Hong Kong".</p><p>Scott Wong, a 26-year-old cadet pilot, said that if Messi comes back to play in Hong Kong he would think twice before getting tickets, in case he is injured again.</p><p>"All the backlash Inter Miami got, plus Messi, I think he feels like he needs to make up for it. That's why he promised to come back and play the game again."</p>