Look for Lionel Messi to play in Wednesday’s friendly in Tokyo with Inter Miami facing Japanese club Vissel Kobe.
And don’t look for another public-relations disaster as happened on Sunday when Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain sat on the bench for the entire match against a selection of players from the Hong Kong league, angering thousands of fans who demanded refunds.
Teammate Luis Suarez — another big name on the club — also remained on the bench.
Messi, who has rarely spoken to the media in an open setting since moving in July to Inter Miami, showed up Tuesday at a news conference in a five-star Tokyo hotel. He sat alone on a stool on stage, wore a pink warm-up jacket, and showed a bit of humility.
He was surely under pressure from local Japanese sponsors, including Vissel Kobe where his former Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta became a Japanese crowd favorite before leaving last year.
“The truth is that I feel very good compared to a few days ago,” Messi said, speaking in Spanish.
“And depending on how that (training) goes. And if I’m honest, I still don’t know if I will be able to or not. But I feel much better and I really want to be able to do it.”
Messi tried to explain to Hong Kong fans, saying it was impossible for him to play with a groin injury. Some suggested he could have simply trotted around for a few minutes, which might have satisfied fans in a game that is largely meaningless except for its promotional value.