Ax about to fall on Argentina match in China over Messi flap

It is likely superstar Lionel Messi and Argentina's national team will not be coming to China to play friendly matches in Hangzhou and Beijing next month as sponsors look to terminate their contracts.

Mainland reporter Xu Zexin said there is a "99 percent possibility" the Argentina team's visit would be canceled after Messi sparked fury among Hong Kong and China fans by sitting out Sunday's sold-out match in the SAR and then going on to play in Japan three days later.

"Unless Messi manages to overturn the lopsided public opinion within China his match last year in Beijing's Workers' Stadium against Australia would be the farewell performance of his career in the country," Xu wrote.

"[There is] nothing more important than national justice and dignity. As a world sport superstar Messi could not possibly be unaware of the implications of his differential treatment between playing in Hong Kong and Japan."

Xu said Messi, 36, and his teammates must bear the consequences.

The Argentina team are scheduled to visit China next month to play against Nigeria in Hangzhou and Cote d'Ivoire in Beijing to prepare for the Copa America starting on June 20.

In a pop-up souvenir shop in Beijing, citizen Zhu said: "I do not think we should welcome him. He has made the decision to take this stance."

And a Miss Chen noted: "Another superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo, was injured and could not come to China, and they called a press conference to apologize for the cancellation. What a contrast."

Earlier, the state-owned Global Times said the absence of Messi in Hong Kong's match may have been politically motivated and involved foreign forces aiming to hit the city's "mega-event economy."

It also said in a commentary there was a possibility foreign forces were trying to embarrass Hong Kong and pointed out that Western media have been using the World Cup winner's no-show in front of a sold-out crowd to slander the city.

"The match in Hong Kong became the only one in Messi's six preseason friendly matches on this trip where he was absent," it said. "The situation ... has magnified these doubts and suspicions about the integrity of Inter Miami and Messi."

Some mainland fans traveled 12 hours from Xinjiang to Hong Kong to see Messi, with their disappointment of that of national officials "entirely understandable. The impact of this incident has far exceeded the realm of sports."

At the same time, China's football association deleted all news entries related to Messi from its webpage. The only ones that remained were related to Cameroon forward Messi Bouli, currently playing for China League One club Nanjing City.

Hong Kong legislators continued to attack Messi and Inter Miami, with New People's Party chair Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee proposing to ban Messi from entering Hong Kong again.

"Hong Kong people hate Messi, Inter Miami and the black hand behind them for the calculated snub," she said.

Director of Immigration Benson Kwok Joon-fung was asked yesterday whether Messi would be refused entry in the future. Kwok said officials would reach a decision in accordance with existing laws and policies. "But I understand people's discontent," he added.

michael.shum@singtaonewscorp.com

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