07 February 2024 , 14:42
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A possible injury to midfield maestro Sergio Busquets has compounded Inter Miami's pre-season tour nightmare - just days on from David Beckham being booed after Lionel Messi was ruled out of a game on the trip.
The former Barcelona stalwart was substituted after just 25 minutes of play against Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe after going down awkwardly following late challenge from an opposition player. This hammer blow means the Spanish icon could be facing a spell on the treatment table just two weeks before the MLS season starts.
The veteran superstar started the game alongside fellow marquee recruit Luis Suarez but required treatment on the pitch after he was caught by his Yuya Osako's studs on the ankle. Left writhing in pain, it soon became clear that his night was over and Vice City boss Tata Martino duly summoned Yannick Bright as the team laboured to a 0-0 stalemate.
Although Busquets was able to leave the pitch on foot, the incident represented the latest blow for the Herons during what has been a pre-season tour to forget. With a further friendly match scheduled against Messi's boyhood club Newell's Old Boys in Miami in nine day's time, it remains to be seen whether he will be fit to feature.
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The glamour exhibition match in Tokyo was the latest stop on a lucrative 23,000-mile trip for the Herons stretched over three weeks, which has included stops in El Salvador, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong. Rather than being a triumphant undertaking, the tour has largely been marred by poor performances and controversy.
Their recent stay in Saudi Arabia got off to an eventful yet ultimately disappointing start as they fell to a 4-3 defeat against Al-Hilal. Three days later, an Al-Nassr side missing their star man Cristiano Ronaldo inflicted a heavy 6-0 defeat on the Floridan outfit to add to their misery.
The worst was arguably still to come in Hong Kong, however, as fans showed their displeasure in the stands by jeering as Miami captain Messi failed to play versus an All-Star local XI. Spectators aired their disapproval with boos as Herons co-owner Beckham made a speech to the crowd- with one other fan kicking the head off of a cardboard cut-out of Messi.
Inter Miami's midfielder Sergio Busquets (L) reacts after being injured during the friendly football match between Inter Miami of the US's Major League Soccer league and Vissel Kobe of Japan's J-League at the National Stadium in Tokyo on February 7, 2024. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP) (Photo by PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images)It transpired that Messi had been unable to play in the friendly due to a hamstring issue, with his absence even drawing comments from the Hong Kong Government. In a statement following the game, a representative said: "Regarding Messi not playing the match day, the Government, as well as all football fans, are extremely disappointed about the organiser's arrangement.
"The organiser owes all football fans an explanation," they continued. "The Major Sports Events Committee will take follow-up action with the organiser according to the terms and conditions, which includes reducing the amount of funding as a result of Messi not playing the match."
Commenting on the reaction, the World Cup winner gave a diplomatic response, saying: "Unfortunately in football things can happen in any game, that we may have an injury. It happened to me. I couldn’t play in the Hong Kong match, and it was a shame because I always wanted to participate.
"I wanted to be there and even more so when it came to these matches. When we travelled so far and people were so excited to see our matches. I hope we can return and we play another game and I can play as I do whenever I can. But the truth is that it is a game that I was not able to participate."