On February 4, the Argentine star remained on the sidelines as the MLS side faced the Hong Kong XI in a preseason match. That didn’t sit well with the 38,000 crowd at the stadium, who reacted with boos and a demand for an immediate refund.
Tatler Asia now said ticketholders may apply for a refund as long as they accept not to pursue legal action against the organizer. According to BBC, the refunds could cost up to HK$56m ($7.1m).
Messi’s controversial no-show in Hong Kong
Fans in Hong Kong paid up to HK$4,880 to watch Messi in action, only for the Argentine star to remain on the bench. The 36-year-old later apologized for his absence, explaining he was dealing with a groin injury.
But Leo suited up for a friendly against Vissel Kobe in Japan only a few days later, fueling the rage against him and Inter Miami in Hong Kong. The situation escalated so much that China ended up canceling two friendlies the Argentine national team had scheduled in the country in March.
Tatler Asia is now accepting to refund the disgruntled fans who showed up at the Hong Kong Stadium last month on certain conditions, including that ticketholders agree not to pursue “proceedings before any court of law, tribunal [or] regulatory authority”.
The organizer had also applied for a HK$16m for the event, a sum that is now giving up due to the heavy criticism it has faced in the last few weeks.
