Lionel Messi injury update issued by Inter Miami head coach
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Inter Miami’s coach has issued an update on the fitness of Lionel Messi before next week’s US Open Cup Final. The 36-year-old played just 37 minutes against Toronto FC last night before he had to be substituted due to injury.
He had been struggling for several minutes before he was withdrawn from proceedings and as the Argentine watched the rest of the match from the bench, he looked devastated. According to boss Gerardo Martino, Messi will miss their next match against Orlando City, who are second in the MLS Eastern Conference.
“There is no chance they will be there on Sunday,” the coach told reporters. “But I do not think there is anything serious or muscle injuries. I think it is just fatigue. I know we have a final to play [on Wednesday] but they won’t go near the pitch if they can’t play.
“It wasn’t part of the plan. I wouldn’t say it was anything new or more serious than what was there before. I don’t think there are any muscular injuries and we will take it day by day.” With the World Cup winner ruled out of their next match in the early hours of Monday morning, everyone affiliated with Inter Miami will hope he will be available for the cup final against Houston Dynamo on September 27.
Should Messi be unavailable for that game, Miami will want to call upon his services for some crucial league games coming up, which could determine if they can qualify for the MLS Playoffs. They will face New York City FC on September 30, before an away game at Chicago on October 4, and then a home match against Cincinnati on October 7.
“The scans [Messi] had with the national team, they didn’t show any injury. We still saved him to be safe,” Martino added. “We don’t think he has a muscular injury. That’s also from a conversation I just had with him.
“But we have to continue being careful. We’ll look at it in the next few days. I’m cautious about what can happen and after talking to them, I’m less pessimistic than I was when I had to bring them off.”
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The score was 0-0 when Messi left the field of play in Canada, moments before teammate Jordi Alba was taken off. But their teammates rallied to defeat struggling Toronto 4-0, who has yet to win an away game this season. Robert Taylor scored two goals while Facundo Farias and Benjamin Cremaschi also made it on the scoresheet in a comprehensive victory.
In the 11 games that Messi has played for Inter Miami since he joined in July, the team has yet to suffer defeat. The club is now 13th in the Eastern Conference and is five points behind DC United in the final Playoff spot with two games in hand.
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