Lionel Messi may miss Inter Miami game against Cruz Azul, David Beckham says new signing ‘needs to be ready’
David Beckham says that Messi’s return from vacation and needing some time have caused ticket prices to skyrocket, some as high as $110,000! Newstimesuk.com provides all the latest international sports news
Anticipating a hot start for Lionel Messi in Miami, fans may throw cold water on him ahead of kickoff in his debut match.
With Inter Miami set to open League Cup play against Liga MX side Cruz Azul, many expect the Argentine maestro to surprise fans in South Florida.
But co-owner David Beckham has fueled fears for fans eager for the move – and shelling out big bucks for tickets to the event – by saying Messi may not play.
Speaking to ESPN Argentina, Beckham said that the upcoming match against the Mexican team will be a challenge and Messi may not be ready to participate.
“We don’t know if Leo will play the game or if he will have some minutes, because I think, above all, he has to be ready,” Beckham said.
Lionel Messi’s first minutes with his new club Inter Miami may not come until the next game
Club co-owner David Beckham says Messi ‘must be ready’ as he adapts to his new team
Messi (centre left) has already started training with his new club and is back in form
‘We have to protect him and make sure he’s ready, because he was on holiday and just got to Miami. He has trained and he looks good.
‘I think Leo and Tata [Martino] When and if he plays on Friday will decide, but the atmosphere here will be amazing and hopefully we can win.’
This should be cause for concern, as ticket prices for this match have skyrocketed as fans pack the 18,000-seat DRV PNK Stadium. Lauderdale eagerly awaits Messi’s arrival.
Some seats are selling for as much as $110,000 on the second-hand market, with SeatGeek selling its cheapest tickets for $287 at the time of publication.
Considering that most are buying these seats to see a World Cup winner, and not just a team that is last in the MLS standings, paying an exorbitant price just for Messi not to play would seem like highway robbery.
But Inter Miami will play two matches in four days – before a long break at the start of August – meaning Messi’s first match may have to wait.
It’s a whirlwind for a Miami team that the rest of the league looks up to as fans hope for a success story — starting with playoff qualification.
While it may be a bit of a longshot – Inter Miami need to win eight of their last twelve league matches to reach one of the nine spots – Beckham notes that the hype surrounding Messi’s arrival is enough to feel good about the future.
Tickets for the game against Cruz Azul in South Florida in anticipation of Messi’s club debut are selling for $110,000 a seat – with base prices starting at $250.
Beckham says Messi’s arrival has been ‘a roller coaster’ as attention grows for the club
Beckham added that Messi (L) and fellow arrival Sergio Busquets (R) have impressed in training
“From the moment Leo landed a few feet away, it was a rollercoaster,” Beckham told ESPN Argentina.
‘We wanted everything to be perfect from the moment he entered our stadium. And it has been great. presentation the other night. 20,000 fans in the stadium is incredible. And it was an incredible moment for the eyes of the world to see in our club, in this league and in this sport.
‘So it was incredible. Obviously we saw Leo in training today and he looks very good physically, the same for Sergio (Busquets). Even if it arrived a few days ago, it will take some time.
‘But it’s a very exciting time for us.’
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