Philadelphia boss asks fans to swarm stadium for game vs Messi

Jim Curtin, coach of the Philadelphia Union, has asked supporters to resist the temptation to profit from the resale of their tickets to the next match against Inter Miami.

Fans in the Philadelphia area are shelling out big bucks to watch Lionel Messi, a soccer player known worldwide.

Tuesday, April 16, 2023, at Subaru Park, the Philadelphia Union will play Inter Miami in a Semi-Final match of the 2023 Leagues Cup.

The Union’s late-night Friday victory over Queretaro of Mexico and Inter Miami’s late-night Saturday victory over Charlotte FC sealed the deal on the clash.

While Inter Miami easily won by four goals, the Union didn’t score until late. Chris Donovan’s goal in the 101st minute gave the Union a 2-1 lead, sending Subaru Park into a frenzy.

Tickets for Miami clash can be found up to $1,436

Tickets for Tuesday’s semis game are presently going for $450 to $1,436 on the secondary market website SeatGeek. If the attendance at Miami’s last away game against FC Dallas is any indicator, Philadelphia supporters should expect to see a significant influx of Messi fanatics.

“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”, Curtin said in his postgame press conference.

Jim Curtin relishes facing Messi

Messi’s impressive statistics in Major League Soccer (MLS) can put some teams on edge. On Friday, though, the Philadelphia manager presented himself as a challenge-seeker.

“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 semifinal with a trophy on the line, a spot in the UEFA Champions League on the line. So it’s a big game. I know our fans are gonna show up.”

Photo credit: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire