Inter Miami's PR Crisis: Messi Plays Despite Injury

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez were both reported as injured and were thus absent during Inter Miami's pre-season matches, including a match in Hong Kong, leading to fan outrage and demands for refunds. Despite his reported injury, Messi played in a match in Tokyo three days later, showing 'massive signs of improvement'. The poor performance of the tour, intended to promote the club, has become a PR disaster, with match organisers, Tatler Asia, forfeiting $1.9m in government funding due to Messi's absence in Hong Kong. Inter Miami's next matches are against Japanese team Vissel Kobe and Newell's Old Boys, Messi's boyhood club.