Just two days before the Vancouver Whitecaps were set to host Inter Miami at BC Place, the Canadian side made an unprecedented announcement that infuriated fans, forced newsrooms into overdrive and left Miami scrambling for a response.
"While we haven't received an official update on the availability of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Sergio Busquets for this weekend, we understand they will not make this trip," Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster said in a statement last season. "Unfortunately, we have no control over who plays for our opponent, and it was important for us to communicate to our fans as soon as possible.