Initially rumored to make a sensational return to Barcelona, Lionel Messi, often hailed as the greatest footballer of all time, took an unexpected turn by joining Inter Miami. Messi has swiftly become a vital figure for the club, gearing up for his second season with Inter Miami.
While the initial reports emphasized Inter Miami’s preparation to clash with El Salvador in their first preseason game leading up to the 2024 MLS season, it appears that an intriguing exhibition in Hong Kong is now on the cards before the highly anticipated encounter with El Salvador.
Is Lionel Messi joining Inter Miami on pre-season tour?
It was reported 2 days ago that as part of their pre-season tour, Inter Miami will have an exhibition game in Hong Kong.
Inter Miami has revealed plans to play against a team from Hong Kong, featuring top players from the local first division. The match is scheduled for February 4 at the Hong Kong Stadium, boasting a capacity of 40,000 spectators.
The match against the team from Hong Kong will be Inter Miami’s second pre-season game, with the first being a hybrid friendly against El Salvador’s national team on January 19 in El Salvador.
It’s worth highlighting that this trip to Hong Kong marks Inter Miami’s inaugural overseas pre-season venture in their brief five-year existence.
Their planned tour to China, scheduled for November of this year and featuring Messi and the team, was canceled due to unspecified “unforeseen reasons” following the conclusion of the MLS regular-season campaign.
Therefore, Lionel Messi and the entire Inter Miami team are expected to travel to Hong Kong for their first pre-season game.
Details on Inter Miami’s pre-season tour to Hong Kong
As part of their preseason preparations for 2024, Inter Miami unveiled their plans on Thursday to take on the Hong Kong team. This encounter is set to unfold on February 4 at the Hong Kong Stadium, a venue capable of hosting up to 40,000 spectators.
The club’s managing director, Jorge Mas, said the following concerning this upcoming friendly fixture:.
“We’re very excited to be visiting Hong Kong and indeed Asia for the very first time. From the very beginning, we set out to be a global club at Inter Miami. This is a wonderful opportunity to do just that. We hope to enthuse and inspire new Inter Miami fans in Hong Kong and across Asia who share our passion for fútbol.”
Do you think Messi should participate in the pre-season tour? Tell us what you think in the comments.
