Oh no, no Messi!

Messi Mania in Chicago was in full blast just a week or so ago with the excitement of "The Great One" Lionel Messi playing right here in our city, but now, that potential thrill has melted quicker than the Wicked Witch did in the Wizard of Oz. The "Mania" relegated to but a small puddle of… "oh, what could have been."

Chicago Fire fans, the large contingent of Euro soccer fans here in the city, and "fútbol" fans everywhere in the country were looking forward to seeing Messi play.

But sadly, it looks like that dream will not happen.

By all reports (although not officially announced yet), Messi will miss the game against the Fire scheduled for this Wednesday at Soldier Field. A nagging hamstring injury he first developed way back in a World Cup qualifying match against Ecuador has become bad enough that Messi has had to miss his last two games. In all likelihood, you can add the Chicago game this Wednesday to that list as well.

Inter Miami and the Argentinian National Team are not taking any chances with their 36-year-old prized product, which is well understood. Messi is too valuable a commodity to take a chance on getting even more injured, and has sat out the recent New York FC game and he even missed the MLS Cup Championship game last week vs. The Houston Dynamo.

Still, while the caution is well understood—it is painful to process for the Chicago fans who were so looking forward to the rare chance to watch Messi play right in our hometown.

And for those who were wondering? No need to call the Fire ticket office for refunds. That is not happening. As any sports fan everywhere knows, when you buy a ticket, you always run the risk of your favorite player sustaining an injury.

This one, though, really hurts, as ticket prices went nearly out of control when the match was declared a few months ago. Sellers were getting well into the thousands for prime seats, and regular tickets that generally went for $30, $40, or $50 were clocking in instead for $300, $400, or $500.

The price, literally, one pays to see Messi play.

One bright spot? The Fire's victory on Saturday kept their somewhat slim playoff hopes alive. Inter-Miami, too, is battling for a spot, so the game on Wednesday night is enormous for both teams and obviously, without Messi, the chances of a big Fire win go up considerably.

But still, the disappointment is felt by many. The initial adrenaline kick of the thought of Messi displaying his sensational skills here reduced to mere imagination. Worse yet, at age 36, the chances of seeing the superstar play in person before he retires may not be for long. Soccer fans can only hope another time will come.

For now? Messi Mania here in Chicago has flamed out quicker than Lava Lamps or the Pet Rock. The brief hysteria relegated to a quiet whisper.

While I feel bad for all the fans, I feel worse for the sizable Argentinian contingent in Chicago. They would have (and maybe still will) turned out in loud and adoring droves to watch their nation's hero. It would have no doubt been a spectacle to see.

But for now? The silence will be deafening.