Inter Miami will pack its bags to fly to Canada over the weekend as they gear up to face Vancouver Whitecaps. After a hard-fought win against DC United at Chase Stadium, the Herons will look to extend its seven-game unbeaten streak. While the star duo of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are expected to dominate at the BC Place, Vancouver manager Vanni Sartini has urged his side to ignore the former Barcelona icons and rather ‘focus‘ on winning the game. 

Speaking ahead of the Matchday 15 in the presser, the Italian boss didn’t exhibit any signs of intimidation to face La Pulga and Co. Instead, Sartini boldly demonstrated his strategy to stop Messi and Suarez. As compiled by @M30Xtra on X, he said, “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.”

Clearly, Sartini is in no mood to discuss how their upcoming rivals are strong due to the presence of former Catalan stars. Instead, the Whitecaps boss is rather concentrating on the crucial three points. Notably, Miami is leading the Eastern Conference, having acquired 31 points in 15 games. They maintain just a point gap with Cincinnati. Vancouver, on the other hand, is sitting in seventh place in the Western Conference, having bagged just 19 points in 13 games. 

Certainly, Sartini and Co. would be looking to end Miami’s winning streak. But there may be good news for the hosts as just days before the match, a concerning development came to light regarding the injury of Messi. 

Lionel Messi gives injury scare before facing Vancouver Whitecaps

Yesterday, journalist Franco Panizo shared a video on X showing Lionel Messi training with the team. However, the footage revealed a concerning moment where Messi appeared to be in discomfort, grimacing several times and tending to his left leg during a small-sided game. He was noticeably not training with full intensity, opting for light passes while frequently checking his leg.

This video suggests that Messi may not have fully recovered from a recent knee injury. Certainly, this is not good news for the Florida-based club. Tata Martino and his team struggled in Messi’s absence during their last game against Orlando City, which ended in a draw. Meanwhile, this may give a sigh of relief to Vancouver who may potentially face a Messi-less Inter Miami. Let’s see if his reaction indicates a serious blow or just a minor relapse that will be healed before the match.