Injured Lionel Messi not expected to play in Chicago Fire vs Inter Miami match

Wednesday, October 4, 2023 5:49PM

Lionel Messi not expected to play in Chicago Fire vs Inter Miami match

CHICAGO (WLS) — Soldier Field is hosting a long awaited MLS match-up Wednesday night, Chicago Fire versus Inter Miami CF.

On the Miami team, World Cup champion Lionel Messi is not expected to play at a sold-out Soldier Field.

Messi is injured, and hasn’t played since Sept. 20 when he left a match against Toronto FC and has been listed as “day to day” since.

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The Fire match quickly sold over 61,000 tickets, and Soldier Field’s upper decks were then opened for the match to allow for more fans to attend. But many are let down by the Argentinian’s possible absence.

For longtime Messi fans, and 17-year-old high school soccer player Josh Ocampo, this is a huge disappointment.

“I was actually very excited to go to his game,” Ocampo said. “My mom surprised me with tickets last week for my birthday right before it was official he wasn’t going to play, and I was kinda bummed out because that was who we mainly wanted to go see.”

Chicago Fire FC announced in a statement: “We understand that many of our fans may be disappointed if they don’t get the chance to see him play.”

The club said they will offer fans a $250 account credit toward new memberships for next year’s season, or a $50 account credit to all single-game buyers who attend the match.

There is word Messi may make some kind of appearance, but fans are left with tickets to a game that may not feature the star they shelled out hundreds of dollars to see.

Ocampo’s mom paid over $1,400.

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Ocampo said getting a glimpse of Messi Wednesday is better than nothing, as seeing a World Cup champion in an MLS match is not an ordinary sight.

“For him to be seen in-person, even if it’s a few hundred yards away, it’s still crazy. Because I grew up watching this player since I was 7,” Ocampo said.