13 August 2023 , 16:52
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Philadelphia Union's manager has pleaded with the club's fans to not sell their tickets, despite eye-watering prices being offered ahead of Lionel Messi's arrival in town.
The two MLS teams will meet in the Leagues Cup semi-final as the Argentine icon chases a first piece of silverware with his new employers. The clash at Subaru Park promises to be a memorable tie, with the World Cup winner's presence set to see a capacity crowd turn out to witness him in action.
With the prices for tickets at the game listed for between $450-$1,436 (£571-£1,822) as on resale websites such as Seat Geek, the temptation to cash in may be hard to resist for some supporters. This is the latest example of the "Messi Mania" that is currently sweeping the US, as the intrigue surrounding the forward's arrival reaches unprecedented levels.
In previous months, sales of tickets for away games in MLS sold within hours of the announcement of the former Barcelona hero's move to the league. On top of this, tickets for those matches have previously been listed for resale for figures in excess of $20,000 (£15,755).
As the Union's boss Jim Curtin acknowledges, the superstar's draw cannot be understated, especially following his strong start to life with the Herons. After scoring a staggering eight times in his opening five outings, it is clear that his talents remain undiminished.
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The coach stated: "We look forward to hosting the greatest player in the history of the sport in our building. I think it will definitely be the loudest Subaru Park will ever be. It's a great matchup and if we play like we did (Friday), we'll be in big trouble.
"We're talking about the best player of all time coming here in the semi-final with a trophy on the line, a spot in the Champions League on the line. So it's a big game. I know our fans are gonna show up."
Lionel Messi's presence in Philadelphia is likely to draw a capacity crowd (Hector Vivas/Getty Images)The Union booked their place in the last four of the Leagues Cup after beating Querétaro F.C. in dramatic circumstances, ten minutes into injury time. With the game seemingly heading towards penalties, Chris Donovan popped up to score the deciding goal late on.
Making his plea for supporters to think twice before selling their tickets for the historic meeting with Messi and his teammates, Curtin added: "Please don't sell your tickets, no matter how much money they're offering for them, please."
"We know that we're going to have a packed Subaru Park. It's going to be the number one ticket in the city, for sure. I'm sure some celebrities will be out here in Philly, so I'm excited for it."