Messi no-show prompts Houston Dynamo to issue apology and free tickets | Lionel Messi

MLS club Houston Dynamo have issued an apology to fans after Lionel Messi was revealed by various outlets to not be in the Inter Miami traveling party for Sunday night’s game between the sides. The Texas club also promised free tickets to a future match to all in attendance due to Messi’s absence.

In their statement, the Dynamo indicated that they believed Messi would be fit to play the match based on his name not being listed on Inter Miami’s player status report. The player status report, released before matches, is traditionally where teams will list players that are carrying injuries or who are otherwise out of action.

“The recently shared player status report for the match did not include forward Lionel Messi, but it has been reported he did not make the trip to Houston,” the team statement read. “Unfortunately, we have no control over who plays for our opponent.”

The Miami Herald reported on Saturday that Messi is not injured but was rather held out by Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano due to Miami’s congested schedule. The team has played at midweek and on the weekend for each of the past two weeks thanks to their participation in the Concacaf Champions Cup. Miami defeated Sporting KC over two legs over the previous two weeks and this week host Jamaican side Cavalier FC in the first leg of the Round of 16.

Messi was substituted in the second half of Miami’s second leg against Kansas City, but Mascherano told reporters on Friday that he was healthy and would train normally that day along with the rest of the team.

The Dynamo’s apology and offer continues a trend of MLS teams bargaining with their own fans after the most famous player in the world is a no-show for visits to their city during his time in MLS. Last year, Messi sat out an Inter Miami road trip to Vancouver, which the resident Whitecaps discovered only after Miami were already on their way. They issued an apology and offered the record crowd 50% off all food and drink at the game. Chicago Fire gave fans vouchers for future games after Messi’s injury in the Copa América final meant he missed the teams’ match at Soldier Field in August.

Shell Energy Stadium, home of the Dynamo, holds about 22,000 people. Resale tickets to the match were hovering above $200 per ticket at the cheapest as of Friday afternoon.