Messi’s Absence in Leagues Cup Quarterfinal
Lionel Messi will not feature in Inter Miami’s upcoming Leagues Cup quarterfinal match against Tigres UANL on Wednesday evening due to a recurring “minor” muscle injury. This issue arose during the Leagues Cup group stage match against Necaxa on August 2, where he was forced to leave the field just 11 minutes into the game. Subsequently, the Argentine superstar missed Miami’s matches against Pumas UNAM and Orlando City SC.
Recent Performance and Condition
Messi made a return to action last Saturday when he came on as a substitute in the second half against the LA Galaxy, where he managed to score once and provide an assist in just 45 minutes of play. However, even with this notable contribution, head coach Javier Mascherano revealed that Messi wasn’t fully comfortable during the game, indicating that the club would need to monitor his condition closely moving forward.
Training and Match Day Observations
In the days leading up to the quarterfinal, Messi trained alone away from his teammates, casting doubt on his availability for the match. Mascherano noted that while Messi had not been entirely ruled out for the game, his readiness to play would heavily depend on how he felt.
“Leo didn’t train with the group; he trained separately. It was similar to the situation I described after the last game, where he felt a bit off during those 45 minutes. We’ll assess him during training tomorrow,”
Mascherano explained.
Conclusion
When Messi arrived at Chase Stadium alongside his fellow players on match day, he was seen wearing regular clothes instead of the team uniform, confirming his absence from the game. As Miami competes against Tigres in their quest to reach the semifinals, the club will have to advance without its star player. Last year, Messi was instrumental in leading Inter Miami to victory in the inaugural edition of the tournament, a triumph that followed his debut in July 2023.
