How Many Games Is Lionel Messi Set To Miss As Injury Woes Return for Inter Miami Skipper Following Early Substitution Against Nashville?

The tone is set for Inter Miami for the rest of the season. The team has a few wins in both the MLS and CONCACAF Championship. Nevertheless, injury woes tend to continue for the Miami team. After losing a few youngsters like Ian Fray and Facundo Farias, as a result of ACL injuries, things are getting a bit worrisome after Lionel Messi‘s lack of fitness. The Argentine has reportedly sustained a leg injury again in the QF’s 2nd leg against Nashville. But will he be back for the next game? What’s the extent of his injury?

Lionel Messi has discomfort with his hamstring because of which Inter Miami’s head coach substituted the Argentine in the 50th minute. He explained after the game, saying, “We didn’t want to take any risks. We wanted to see if he could hang on a bit more, but it was bothering him, so we preferred to take him out of the game”. Which means there isn’t much to worry about. That brings up the question, how many games have the Herons won without their captain?

It is crystal clear how much the Herons are dependent on their talisman. Since his arrival, Inter Miami has just won 1 game out of 8 in the Argentine’s absence. But let us look at its intensity this time around.

Impact of Lionel Messi’s injury vs. Nashville: what’s in store for Inter Miami?

Winning a game seems hard for the Herons without Lionel Messi, but it looks like they have to cope with it more. Martino, after the game last night, has hinted that Messi will miss the game against DC United. But considering it to be a mild strain, it seems a bit likely that he may resume after the international break. Lionel Messi is part of his national team that will play 2 games on March 22nd and 25th against El Salvador and Nigeria, respectively. During that phase, the star is expected to miss the game against New York Red Bulls on March 23rd. But the chances of him being back for the game against NY City FC on March 30th seem possible at the moment.

Meanwhile, it appears that Lionel Messi is being preserved for bigger games and Inter Miami is ready to risk the initial league games. The Head Coach already testified to this following their loss to CF Montreal. Martino stated, “I feel that in the [first] two 2024 games he has had too much wear and tear. It is my responsibility to make the team work in such a way that we can use him differently,” citing more adaptation and taking tournaments like the CONCACAF Champions Cup more seriously.

This will be the second time in three Inter Miami games in which Lionel Messi has suffered an issue with his leg. Last year, Inter Miami had to excuse him for a lot of games because of the resurfacing scar tissue injury, even though it was thought to be minor. This time we will have more idea about his fitness during the international games. Until then, it will be a period of curiosity for Inter Miami and soccer fans.

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