Lionel Messi’s much-anticipated trip to China for Inter Miami’s exhibition games has been cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Argentine superstar was set to join his new team for the two matches against Chinese Super League sides Guangzhou Evergrande and Shanghai Shenhua.
The news of the cancellation was announced on Tuesday by Inter Miami, who said in a statement that the decision was made “in the best interest of the health and safety of our players, staff and fans.”
The trip was set to be a major draw for Chinese fans, who were eager to see Messi in action for his new team. The 33-year-old had recently signed with Inter Miami after spending his entire career with Barcelona.
The coronavirus pandemic has caused a number of disruptions in the sports world, with many teams and leagues having to postpone or cancel events due to health and safety concerns. The Chinese Super League has been particularly affected, with the season being suspended since February.
The cancellation of Messi’s trip is a major disappointment for Chinese fans, who were looking forward to seeing one of the greatest players in the world in action. It is also a setback for Inter Miami, who were hoping to use the exhibition games as a way to introduce their new star to the world.
While the trip has been cancelled, Inter Miami are still planning to travel to China at some point in the future. The team is currently working on rescheduling the exhibition games for a later date.
In the meantime, fans will have to wait and see when Messi will make his debut for Inter Miami. Until then, they can take solace in knowing that one day they will get to see him in action in China.
