CHICAGO (AP) — Lionel Messi’s charity game at Soldier Field will go on, though its star-studded lineup has lost some of its luster.
The “Messi and Friends” charity game will be played Saturday night. The four-time Ballon D’Or winner was to have had another all-star match Wednesday in Los Angeles, but it was canceled Tuesday night in a dispute with promoters. The Chicago game is put on by a different organization.
Saturday’s match was originally supposed to feature 36 international stars, including Cesc Fabregas, David Luiz and Robert Lewandowski. But most of the big names have dropped out, and four former Northwestern players had to be added to the roster simply to be able to stage the game. Thierry Henry, Julio Cesar and Javier Mascherano are still scheduled to play.
