On Friday, February 21, the official Chivas account surprised social media by publishing a video showing Lionel Messi "present" during a training session at the club in Verde Valle. Before matchday 8 of Liga MX, the team shared images of the preparation where a man dressed in the club's attire was getting ready to enter the field. The surprise came when it was revealed that it was Roberto Alvarado wearing a mesh mask with Messi's face.
The joke was well received by his teammates, who posed for photos and acted as if the real Messi were there. The official Chivas account also joined in on the fun by writing: "Taking a day off from work, -today Messi came," referencing a famous meme. The reaction on social media was laughter among the club's fans, who humorously commented on the unexpected "reinforcement" in Verde Valle.
The video showed the team's preparation for their match against Pachuca at Akron Stadium. The match was scheduled for Saturday, February 22 at 19:05 hours, with Chivas looking to climb the standings to move closer to playoff spots in Liga MX.
