Messi expresses regret for not playing in Malaysia-Barcelona match

Football superstar Lionel Messi seated on the bench during the Malaysia-Barcelona friendly at the Shah Alam Stadium.

PETALING JAYA: FC Barcelona football star Lionel Messi has expressed regret on his Facebook page over an injury that kept him out of the Malaysia XI-FC Barcelona game at the Shah Alam Stadium on Saturday night.

The 26-year-old Argentinian said he did not play in the exhibition match due to a muscle strain.

Messi also said it was a shame he could not play, and hoped to repay the fans for their love and return to Malaysia one day.

Messi was listed as a substitute, but stayed on the bench throughout the game.

Fans repeatedly chanted the name of the current Fifa world player of the year several times for him to make an appearance on the pitch, but to no avail.

Some were also disgruntled with the treatment Barcelona players gave local fans.

"Except for (Cesc) Fabregas, the rest of the players were arrogant when they arrived at One World Hotel.

"They might have been tired due to their game against Thailand the previous day, but for me it's unacceptable to ditch your fans just like that," said S.Maduharan, 23.

BSC Soccer (M) Sdn Bhd, the match organisers, also apologised to the fans and local media for the shortcomings during Barcelona's tour to Malaysia.

"We would like to take full responsibility for these missteps as the official event promoter and would also like to seek understanding from all parties concerned," said its managing director Effendi Jagan Abdullah.

The venue of the game was switched to Shah Alam Stadium at the eleventh hour, with news of the change released on the day of the match, after Barcelona officials deemed Bukit Jalil's pitch unsuitable.

Due to the last-minute switch, many ticket holders were unable to get into their assigned sections due to the different seating arrangement of the Shah Alam Stadium.