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Lionel Messi: as Hong Kong chases refunds, he plays 60 minutes for Inter Miami against Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys
- Messi starts Miami’s preseason game against his boyhood club and lasts an hour, having sat out Hong Kong match then returned to action in Japan
- US club’s preseason ‘was a challenge’ and ‘not the best’, coach Gerardo Martino says
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Lionel Messi appeared to be over the injury blamed for his Hong Kong no-show as he played for Inter Miami against Newell’s Old Boys, but his coach admitted their club’s eventful preseason had been “not the best”.
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Days after sparking anger and requests for refunds by sitting out Miami’s appearance in Hong Kong, the superstar – who had since had half an hour’s action as a substitute in Japan – was fit enough to start the friendly match in Florida on Thursday local time.
He lasted until the 60th minute before being replaced in his side’s final preseason outing, which finished 1-1, and delighted home fans ahead of next week’s start of the Major League Soccer (MLS) campaign.
Inter’s Argentine coach Gerardo Martino said he “spoke to [Messi] after the game and he was fine”.
“We had talked about playing between 45 and 60 minutes,” Martino said.
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