Our Clients:

Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Sep 22, 2023 3:58 pm

Inter Miami coach: Lionel Messi ‘isn’t able to play freely’

Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino confirmed Friday that star forward Lionel Messi will miss Sunday’s match at Orlando City as he deals with a scar tissue issue from an injury with the Argentina national team.

Messi, 36, and defender Jordi Alba did not practice Friday after they both exited in the first half of Wednesday’s 4-0 win over visiting Toronto FC due to what Martino called muscle fatigue.

“It’s bothersome,” Martino said Friday about Messi’s scar issue. “I don’t know if it hurts. I can’t really explain as it’s more a medical topic.

“It’s probable it bothers him to the point, including mentally, that he isn’t able to play freely.”

Martino was not sure of the two players’ availability for Inter Miami’s match against the Houston Dynamo in the U.S. Open Cup final on Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The club already captured the Leagues Cup since Messi and others joined the roster.

Miami is 8-0-4 in all competitions with Messi in the lineup, including 3-0-1 in MLS regular-season matches and now sports a 9-15-4 mark with 31 points. He has 11 goals and eight assists in all competitions (regular-season play, U.S. Open Cup, Leagues Cup).

Both Messi and Alba sat out Miami’s MLS contest on Sept. 16 at Atlanta United and won’t play Sunday. Midfielder Sergio Busquets also missed practice Friday, while midfielder Jean Mota returned to training after being sidelined since April with an LCL injury.

Another midfielder, Diego Gomez, has been unavailable because of a muscular injury.

–Field Level Media

You may also like

emma sears
Mar 30, 2025 8:04 pm

Emma Sears scores, Louisville beats Stars to pick up first win

After storms delayed Sunday afternoon’s game between the Chicago Stars and Racing Louisville, second-year forward Emma Sears made the difference for Louisville in a 1-0 win in Bridgeview, Ill. In…

Myrto Uzuni
Mar 30, 2025 5:54 pm

Myrto Uzuni helps Austin FC edge St. Louis City

Myrto Uzuni and Osman Bukari combined to score the match’s lone goal and Austin FC’s defense did the rest as the visiting Verde outlasted St. Louis City 1-0 on Sunday…

Los Angeles FC, San Diego FC
Mar 30, 2025 1:19 am

San Diego FC edge LAFC for franchise’s first home win

Christopher McVey, Onni Valakari and Alex Mighten scored in the first 40 minutes, and San Diego FC went on to a 3-2 victory over Los Angeles FC on Saturday night…

More Soccer News

emma sears
Mar 30, 2025 8:04 pm

Emma Sears scores, Louisville beats Stars to pick up first win

After storms delayed Sunday afternoon’s game between the Chicago Stars and Racing Louisville, second-year forward Emma Sears made the difference for Louisville in a 1-0 win in Bridgeview, Ill. In…

Myrto Uzuni
Mar 30, 2025 5:54 pm

Myrto Uzuni helps Austin FC edge St. Louis City

Los Angeles FC, San Diego FC
Mar 30, 2025 1:19 am

San Diego FC edge LAFC for franchise’s first home win

Orlando City, Galaxy
Mar 30, 2025 1:11 am

Orlando City score on late miscue, keep Galaxy winless

Sounders, Earthquakes
Mar 30, 2025 1:07 am

Albert Rusnak’s tally helps Sounders tie Earthquakes

Read all
fb-post
advertisment
title-icon

Upcoming events

See all odds