Amid Injury Concerns, Lionel Messi Set to Miss Vancouver vs Inter Miami Alongside Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets

Bad luck comes in threes—a fitting phrase to sum up the predicament Inter Miami is currently facing. As they prepare for the upcoming clash against Vancouver, the Herons have been dealt a major blow. While uncertainty about the availability of their star player, Lionel Messi remains, the situation has further escalated with the confirmed absences of Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets.

The former Barcelona trio, apparently, won’t be traveling to BC Place to be at their side’s disposal. This comes from the official statement shared by Vancouver Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster. As compiled by journalist Roy Nemer on X, it read: “While we haven’t received an official update on the availability of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Sergio Busquets for this weekend, we understand they will not make this trip.”

Clearly, the former European stars are expected to stay back in Fort Lauderdale. While Messi’s absence was somewhat anticipated, the updates on Suarez and Busquets have come as a surprise. Days ago, the former PSG star was seen in discomfort during a team’s training sessions. He grimaced multiple times and tended to his left leg during a small-sided game. Not training at full intensity, he rather kept playing on light passes and repeatedly checked his leg.

On the other hand, no exact reason has been stated for the absence of either Suarez or Busquets. Perhaps both have been affected by fatigue from the previous match, leading Tata Martino to take precautions. Either way, their absences prove to be a significant blow on multiple fronts. While Miami remains a fragile side heading into this match, Canadian fans will miss the opportunity to witness these star players. However, it’s good news for the Vancouver boss, who has likely been strategizing to contain the away side’s formidable attack.

Vancouver boss was confident about stopping Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez

Ahead of the clash, Vancouver manager Vanni Sartini showed no signs of intimidation about facing La Pulga and Co. Instead, the Italian boss confidently revealed his strategy to offset Messi and Suarez: “We cannot limit the danger of Messi and Suarez. We must prevent the ball from being passed towards them and we need to be in the right state of mind. Let’s forget about Messi and focus on our performance.” 

However, it appears that Sartini’s concerns have lessened with the recent update on the duo. The absence of Messi, Suarez, and Sergio Busquets makes things quite difficult for Inter Miami. Just without their legendary skipper, they played a stalemate against Orlando City. We wonder how will they be able to manage the absence of three stars. Rest for Vancouver; three points don’t seem a daunting task.