Lionel Messi might be back for action after hamstring injury
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA – Lionel Messi returned to action Saturday after missing the previous five games due to a hamstring injury, playing 35 minutes off the bench in Inter Miami’s 1-0 loss to FC Cincinnati, which eliminated Inter Miami from MLS postseason contention.
Messi’s only significant contributions came when he flew two free kicks well beyond Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano’s crossbar, one in the 58th minute and the other in stoppage time.
The 36-year-old Argentine legend, who played a more significant role in this game than he has in prior Inter Miami appearances, having managed just 37 minutes in one appearance in the previous six games leading into Saturday, with Miami winning just once when Messi was out.
Messi will now depart for Argentina’s World Cup qualification campaign in the coming days. The World Cup champion plays Paraguay at home on Thursday before heading to Peru on Oct. 17.
Messi sustained the injury that ultimately ended Miami’s playoff aspirations while on international duty.
He will miss Miami’s next game, a postponed encounter against Charlotte FC on October 18, but he might be back in the lineup for the rematch in North Carolina three days later on the last day of the regular season.
However, with Miami currently playing for nothing more than pride and Messi’s health in question, it’s doubtful that he’ll wear pink again this season.
Martino, on the other hand, stated that the final two contests will not be wasted.
Messi has 11 goals in 13 appearances with Inter Miami. When he plays, the squad is 8-1-4; seven of those games were on the way to winning its first trophy, the Leagues Cup, and another was in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal. Since Messi’s arrival, Inter Miami has gone 1-3-2 in his absence.
Saturday’s defeat, along with victories by many teams above Miami in the standings, left South Florida seven points out of the final playoff berth with only two games remaining.
Miami hit the goalpost three times in the opening 24 minutes of an intriguing first half against the league’s finest club and already-crowned Supporters’ Shield champions at a rainy DRV PNK Stadium. Throughout the game, goalkeeper Drake Callender made numerous outstanding saves to keep his team in the game.
He will miss Miami’s next game, a rescheduled meeting against Charlotte FC on October 18, but he might be back in the starting for the rematch three days later on the last day of the regular season in North Carolina.
However, with Miami playing for pride and Messi’s health in doubt, it’s unlikely that he’ll wear pink this season.
Martino remarked that the final two competitions will not be squandered.
Messi did not join the rest of his colleagues in the 18-man squad for pregame warm-ups, which was unusual. Instead, he came from the tunnel and took his seat on the bench just as the national anthem began.
He also did not warm up with the rest of the Miami substitutes near the conclusion of the first half or at halftime, but he did go up in the early stages of the second half to stretch in front of a muted La Familia fans’ group section.
The city of Miami’s most ardent fans generally maintained their word about their planned protest against the higher 2024 season ticket renewal costs.
After initially stating that they would boycott the game entirely, they consented to attend after meeting with the team, albeit without flags or instruments.
They didn’t quite keep their word, with a couple of flags waving and drums banging intermittently during the 90 minutes that saw Miami’s remarkable season come to an end.
