Govt disappointed and mulls funding deduction after Messi 'absence' in the match

Many fans were left disappointed after Lionel Messi remained on the bench throughout the game between the Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami and the Hong Kong team.

Towards the end of the match, chants of "We want Messi" and "refund" came belting out of the stands, while boos rang out after the final whistle.

As Inter Miami owner David Beckham addressed the crowd, the boos continued to intensify as the home crowd expressed their frustrations in not being able to witness the Argentine captain take to the pitch.

Some fans stated that they were happy to see Hong Kong be able to put up a good performance against a team from MLS.

Fans who came to watch football icon Messi were divided about his absence on the pitch.

Although disappointed that Messi did not play, some fans said his health was more important. Others expressed dissatisfaction with the ticket price, calling for refunds.

The head coach of the Hong Kong women's football team, José Ricardo Rambo, was disappointed as it is rare for football stars to come to Hong Kong.

Lawmaker Doreen Kong Yuk-foon, who was watching the match at home, said how the organizers could expect people to trust them whenever they hold mega events if incidents like today's occur again.

Kong was also skeptical about whether the contract stipulated Messi to participate in the match.

Miami's head coach Gerardo Martino apologized to the fans in the post-match press conference and stated he understood why they were upset.

He also said that Messi has inflammation in the adductor and was evaluated this morning, and it was decided today he could not play.

The government spokesman stated that they and fans were also extremely disappointed with the organizer's arrangements regarding Messi being unable to play in the showmatch and said that organizers owe the fans an explanation.

The Major Sports Events Committee will follow up with the organizer according to the terms of the agreement, including the possibility of deducting funding.

Separately, organizer Tatler XFEST Hong Kong published a statement yesterday to express their extreme disappointment regarding Messi and Luis Suarez's non-participation in the friendly match. 

"We, alongside all football fans who attended that match, had been eagerly anticipating Messi's and Suarez's participation and share in the disappointment felt by everyone watching." 

It also stressed that the company did not have any information about Messi or Suarez's non-participation prior to the kick-off. 

"Messi and Suarez were deemed unfit to play by their team's medical department, to everyone's, including ours, disappointment," it concluded.