Mon Mar 03 00:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Houston Dynamo Apologizes, Offers Free Tickets After Messi No-Show

**HOUSTON, TX** – The Houston Dynamo issued a formal apology to fans and promised free tickets to a future game after Lionel Messi’s absence from Inter Miami’s Sunday match at Shell Energy Stadium. The club stated that they believed Messi would play, relying on the Inter Miami player status report which did not list him as injured or unavailable.

The Miami Herald revealed that Messi’s absence was a coaching decision by Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano due to the team’s congested schedule, which includes participation in the Concacaf Champions Cup. While Messi was substituted in the second leg against Sporting KC, Mascherano confirmed Friday that he was healthy.

“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 Dynamo’s statement read. “Unfortunately, we have no control over who plays for our opponent.”

The Dynamo’s gesture follows a pattern of MLS teams attempting to appease fans disappointed by Messi’s absence from matches. Last year, both the Vancouver Whitecaps and Chicago Fire offered similar compensation to fans after Messi missed their games. Resale tickets for Sunday’s match reportedly reached over $200 before the news of Messi’s absence broke. The Dynamo’s apology and offer of free tickets aim to mitigate the disappointment of fans who purchased tickets expecting to see the global superstar.

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