Messi questionable vs. Chicago, Soldier Field sold out, resale ticket prices plunge

All 61,500 tickets have been sold for the Inter Miami game on the road Wednesday against the Chicago Fire, but it remains to be seen whether all the Soldier Field seats will be filled as more than 50,000 of those tickets were purchased before Lionel Messi was injured in early September.

In fact, according to the Chicago Tribune, the Fire had sold nearly 10,000 tickets for its match against Inter Miami before the Argentine star’s June 7 announcement that he was signing with the club; and by the end of that day, they had sold nearly 10,000 more. The cheapest tickets listed during the summer were in the $250 range and the best seats were more than $3,000.

But the uncertainty of Messi’s availability for the game has caused ticket prices on the secondary resale market to plunge in recent days, with upper-level seats listed as low as $30.

The Fire organization, acknowledging that people bought tickets to see Messi and apparently anticipating no-shows, sent out this message offering rewards for fans who show up:

“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. 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…

“To show our appreciation, the Chicago Fire will be offering a $250 account credit toward new memberships for the 2024 season — or a $50 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.”

Messi’s status for the game remains “day to day,” according to Inter Miami coach Tata Martino, who has come to expect that every news conference will begin with a question about the injured icon.

On Tuesday morning he was asked to give updates on two injured Leos — Campana and Messi.

Martino said Campana would not be on the roster for the Chicago game after sustaining a slight leg injury Saturday in the game against NYCFC and would continue to be evaluated ahead of the home game against Cincinnati on Saturday.

As for Messi, the coach repeated what he has been saying for the past few weeks, that the Argentine star’s game availability would be based on how he feels after training and the advice of the medical staff. Messi has missed four of Miami’s past five games, and the team is 0-2-2 during those games.

Asked the nature of his injury, whether it is aggravated scar tissue or a hamstring tear, Martino said: “It is a scar that is in danger of opening up and becoming a more serious problem. More technical details I do not know.”

Martino added that Messi would likely take part in some team drills Tuesday morning, that he has been getting stronger with each workout and a decision on whether he would travel to Chicago would be made later in the day. Messi went through light drills on his own with a trainer, with and without the ball, during the 15 minutes media members were permitted to watch practice.

Jordi Alba injury update

Martino said Jordi Alba (hamstring) is expected back for the Charlotte game Oct. 18. Asked why he has not given a more definitive return date for Messi, he said:

“Whatever I say, if it doesn’t come to pass that way, it would be taken as… today, I look like the biggest ticket salesman for MLS, as if I have anything to do with selling tickets,” Martino said, referring to the sellout at Soldier Field. “My concern is with my players. The other day Houston came here to play, [Amine] Bassi hadn’t played in two games, Bassi is one of their best players, and there was not a word in the media reports.

“This situation [answering questions about Messi’s injury every few days] is because of the circumstances, which I understand, which is why I respond. This is about Leo, nothing more. If I knew a player was going to be out a month, I would say it. The other day, I was told there was a report Leo would be out the rest of the season. You guys (in the media) run no risk if you say one month and it’s 40 days or 20 days, nothing happens to you. I commit a grave error if I do that. That’s why I avoid giving exact timetables.”

Gaston Edul, a respected soccer reporter for Argentina-based TyC sports, on Sunday reported: “Leo Messi will not play against Chicago Fire. Next Saturday the 7th, (Inter Miami vs Cincinnati) is the last game before the Argentine national team games. They are pointing to that game for him to get in some minutes.”

Martino insisted a decision had not been made for Wednesday, but said If Messi is fit enough to play against Cincinnati, he would probably be fit to travel to Argentina next week for World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru. He added that the club knew when Messi joined the team that he is also committed to his national team and there would be schedule conflicts.

Unlike other leagues around the world, MLS continues to play during FIFA international windows, which is a topic expected to be addressed by the league in the offseason.

Wednesday’s game (8:30 p.m., Apple TV) is critical for both teams as Miami and Chicago are jockeying with five other teams for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. Chicago is in a three-way tie for ninth place with D.C. and Montreal at 37 points, while Miami is in 13^th place at 33 points.

Forward Josef Martinez, who has six MLS goals this season and 11 overall, will be under more pressure with the absence of Campana and potential absence of Messi. He relishes the opportunity.

“I’ve had pressure since I got here,” Martinez said. “Every game is like a final for us now. It will be a very tough game, especially on the road.”