Lionel Messi faced a significant change in his fortunes after returning from the international break. The Argentine has only played 37 minutes for the Herons in the last 23 days due to ongoing injury concerns. Now, Inter Miami’s captain will also be absent from the domestic fixture against Chicago Fire. Reportedly, it’s not because of the injury situation.

Inter Miami is striving to improve its position in the Eastern Conference to secure a place in the playoff spot. The Herons experienced unfavorable results in the previous games with La Pulga’s absence. Meanwhile, an Argentine journalist asserted that Messi is prioritizing preparation for the upcoming national team fixture over Miami’s final games of the season.

What did reports claim about Lionel Messi?

Messi sustained a scar injury due to his participation in consecutive matches both in domestic and international competitions. The world champion is undergoing evaluation for his recovery and has been out of action for successive games for Inter Miami. Gaston Edul, an Argentine journalist, claimed that Messi is unlikely to participate against the Chicago Fire due to his muscle injury in the next fixture. However, the Argentine will be on the bench for the Herons against Cincinnati on 7 October. He might feature for stipulated minutes in the game, contingent on his fitness updates.

Messi will join Argentina for CONMEBOL qualifiers following the MLS fixtures. Edul believes that the PSG icon’s absence from domestic fixtures can serve him to prepare for the national team’s match against Paraguay on October 13th. He posted on X, “Leo Messi would not play against Chicago Fire. Next Saturday the 7th is the last match in the preview of the Argentine before the National Team matches. They aim for him to be able to add minutes in that game.”

Meanwhile, the Herons faced a significant setback in the last game, casting uncertainty on their hopes for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Read more: Lionel Messi’s Terrible ‘Hamstring Tear’ Update Rocks Inter Miami Ending MLS Cup Playoff Chances: Reports

Can Inter Miami secure playoffs without La Pulga?

David Beckham’s men trail the playoff position by four points after 30 games in MLS. Miami FC needs to win their last four games to secure the qualification spot from the Eastern Conference. In the interim, Messi‘s absence has been a major concern for the Leagues Cup winner after poor results in recent matches. The Herons secured one victory and experienced a loss, along with consecutive draws in the last four fixtures of the league without La Pulga.

Inter Miami eked out a 1-1 draw in the closing minutes against New York City FC in the last game. Tomas Aviles headed a corner from Robert Taylor in the net to clinch a crucial point from the match. Messi’s side displayed a lackluster performance in the entire 90 minutes without any significant attacking effort. Nevertheless, fans are still optimistic that Miami can edge closer to the playoffs when they go up against the Chicago Fire this Wednesday.

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Which game do you think Messi will return in action for Inter Miami? Comment below and share your thoughts.