Argentine football icon Lionel Messi was contracted to play for at least 45 minutes on Sunday, Hong Kong’s sports minister, who attended the friendly, told the press on Monday. However, the 36-year-old world-cup winning captain was benched over a hamstring injury, prompting boos and calls for refunds from fans. On Sunday, the government expressed “disappointment” after warning that it may reclaim HK$16 million of funding awarded to the pre-season friendly event featuring the footballer, who last played in the city in 2014. The Hong Kong Stadium on Sunday was filled with more than 38,000 local …
