Lionel Messi on Wednesday was back in action with his Inter Miami squad in Japan after his no-show at a Sunday match in Hong Kong, which drew anger from local fans.
Messi took to the field in the second half of the friendly against Vissel Kobe when he was substituted in for David Ruiz, but his presence could not break the goalless draw by full-time. The Japanese side ended up winning on penalties.
The Argentine superstar was benched for the entire match against an SAR squad on Sunday, and was met with boos from the tens of thousands of fans at Hong Kong Stadium.
In a post on Weibo before the Japan match, Messi said he regrets not being able to play in Hong Kong, saying that he suffered from swelling and pain.
"My friends will know that I want to give my best for every game," he said.
"I hope that one day we will have the chance to go back and give our best to our fans and friends in Hong Kong," he added.
He ended the post with a Year of the Dragon greeting.
Meanwhile, authorities here said Hong Kong people had "many questions" about Messi sitting out an exhibition match in the SAR but was able to actively play in Japan three days later.
It demanded the organiser of Sunday's friendly and the football club to give a reasonable explanation.
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