Inter Miami have been in good form despite the absence of superstar talisman Lionel Messi – but the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s fitness remains a hot topic among supporters.
The Herons currently sit top of the Major League Soccer Eastern Conference but are about to kick off their Leagues Cup journey, which Messi led them to glory in last season.
Hopes of having their star man available suffered a blow when he hobbled off after suffering an ankle ligament injury during Argentina’s Copa America final, with images of him in tears with a swollen ankle on the sidelines garnering plenty of attention.
However, the latest updates suggest the 37-year-old will be out for less than first feared. Here is all you need to know about the former Barcelona forward’s injury.
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How did Lionel Messi get injured?
Messi may have lifted the Copa America in his last ever appearance at the tournament but a nasty injury meant his impact to help Argentina was limited.
The Albiceleste No10 appeared to roll his ankle in the first half in Miami and recieved treatment for some time but was eventually allowed to play on.
But his game was over after 66 minutes when a recurrence of the issue forced the Miami attacker off the field of play.
Some have questioned why Messi was allowed to play on and risk worsening the issue but Herons boss Gerardo Martino insists he does not blame Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni for doing so.
Messi is in tears as he is subbed off due to injury 💔 pic.twitter.com/t0l3OLLuWf
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 15, 2024
What has manager Gerardo Martino said about the injury?
Inter boss Martino has since alleyed fears of a lengthy lay-off, suggesting the injury is not as bad as first feared.
“Leo’s ankle is…well, you all saw the images,” Martino explained on Wednesday. “He had a sprain. There will be further testing to determine the severity of the injury.”
“I don’t want to speculate further. He had a sprain. He has to have more tests and wait for the results.
“Walter [Insaurralde], our kinesiologist, is the same one used by the Argentine national team, he is always very cautious in his diagnoses until all the testing is done.”
Injury Update x @BaptistHealthSF
An update on Lionel Messi’s injury: https://t.co/0nEgXctKJp pic.twitter.com/YdaIN2L7dR
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) July 16, 2024
How long will Messi be missing for Inter Miami?
Despite initial concerns, the Inter Miami camp are hopeful that Messi will return by next month.
Three games appear out of the question for the skipper. Miami face Chicago on Saturday, while the MLS All-Star game on Wednesday and Leagues Cup opener versus Puebla next Sunday also look out of the question.
After that, there is every chance Messi could be back in time for Miami’s August fixtures, starting with Tigres UANL on August 4.
That said, the defending champions are unlikely to rush him back, with their MLS campaign very much the priority.
The Florida-based outfit are enjoying their best ever season and will be hoping for a deep run in the MLS for the first time.
As a result, there is every chance we see Messi used sparingly by Martino until their MLS campaign resumes against Cincinatti on August 25.
