MLS side appears to issue cheeky Lionel Messi dig with classy gesture to fans

Chicago Fire has announced it will reward fans regardless of whether or not Lionel Messi features against the club for Inter Miami, and appeared to aim a cheeky dig his way in the process. Gerardo Martino’s team is due to face Chicago in Major League Soccer on Wednesday night.

Messi has been the biggest start in MLS ever since he arrived in the United States in July. The former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona forward has made a significant impact at the club since his arrival.

The Argentina legend has scored 11 goals in 12 appearances for Miami since he signed for the club on a free transfer. Messi also helped Miami on the way to the club’s first-ever trophy in winning the Leagues Cup on August 20 against Nashville SC.

However, Messi has struggled with a muscle injury in recent games and has been on the sidelines for the past few weeks. The 36-year-old’s last outing in MLS came against Toronto on September 21, where he played just 37 minutes before being substituted.

In total, Messi has missed five out of Miami’s last six matches including a 2-1 loss to Houston Dynamo in the US Open Cup Final. Next up for Miami is an MLS game on the road against Chicago, and now the Illinois club has issued a statement.

Chicago has announced that it will be handing every fan who attends Wednesday’s game against Miami at Soldier Field $250 (£207) in account credit for new membership for the 2024 MLS season. This, the club says, is regardless of “which players are able to make an appearance on the pitch.” Some fans took that to be a cheeky dig at Messi, and the hysteria which has followed his move to MLS.

The full statement read: “The Chicago Fire are excited to host Inter Miami CF at Soldier Field this week. While we don’t yet know the official status of Lionel Messi’s availability for our match tomorrow, as there’s never a guarantee that an athlete will play on any given night due to several factors, we understand that many of our fans may be disappointed if they don’t get the chance to see him play.

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“We realize that there will be many in attendance who are coming to a Chicago Fire match at Soldier Field for the first time, and we’re excited to welcome them to the Fire Family and give them an opportunity to become long-term fans by creating a wonderful, fan-focused atmosphere.

“To show our appreciation, the Chicago Fire will be offering a $250 (£207) account credit toward new memberships for the 2024 season – or a $50 (£41) account credit for anyone unable to use the new member credit – to all single-game ticket buyers who attend our match vs. Inter Miami regardless of which players are able to make an appearance on the pitch.

“With a variety of in-match activations, including a surprise halftime performance, Wednesday is going to be a memorable night. We’re excited to host Inter Miami; this match has major playoff implications for both Clubs, and with over 61,000 tickets distributed, we’re expecting a thrilling Eastern Conference match-up at Soldier Field.”

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