Inter Miami Injury News: Lionel Messi’s Side Suffers Huge Blow as Robert Taylor Substituted Out in Tears in Monterrey Clash

Inter Miami is currently hosting Monterrey for their CONCACAF Champions Cup clash. The Herons successfully managed to kick off the quarterfinal Leg 1 with a narrow lead against the Liga MX giants, especially in the absence of star player Lionel Messi. However, another blow came on the horizon for Tata Martino and Co. as Robert Taylor left the pitch in tears. 

The Finnish forward was forced to be substituted in the 37th minute after becoming subject to a hard challenge from Monterrey, with youngster Leonardo Afonso replacing him. Unfortunately, the exact cause of his injury is unknown but the player was in so much pain that he was crying while sitting on the field. Even though they are leading the home fixture, Taylor’s absence now puts the burden on the shoulders of Luis Suarez and Jullian Gressel. 

Monterrey would be looking to capitalize on the lethal winger’s absence, as Leonardo Afonso doesn’t have much experience to face the pressure of the CONCACAF Champions League match. But let’s hope that the 22-year-old Brazilian can fill in for Taylor. Notably, the David Beckham-owned side has been grappling with injuries since their pre-season days. If Taylor’s injury is graver than expected, then he will be joining Miami’s lengthy list of injured players. 

The likes of Facundo Farías, Ian Fray, Sergii Kryvtsov, Federico Redondo, Robbie Robinson, and Benjamin Cremaschi are still nursing their long-term injuries. However,  the main question on everybody’s mind is why the star player of the club absent from today’s clash.

Why did Lionel Messi miss the Inter Miami vs. Monterrey clash? 

According to journalist Gaston Edul, the decision to keep the Argentinian superstar on the sidelines originates from Inter Miami’s health department. Despite having a rest period of over two weeks, they opted at the last minute to extend his recovery to avoid any unnecessary risks. Furthermore, the 36-year-old is nearing the final phase of his recuperation. He even returned to training before the match and participated in drills alongside the rest of the team.

This aligns with Tata Martino’s earlier comments regarding Messi’s injury during the pre-match press conference. Despite emphasizing the match’s significance, the former River Plate manager stressed, ‘It’s only April, this is just the beginning.’ Regardless, this compounds the challenges for Inter Miami. For now, their immediate priority is Taylor’s injury and more than that is securing a victory in the ongoing game against Monterrey.

READ MORE: Luis Suarez Reveals the Real Reason Behind Choosing Inter Miami Over Liga MX Ahead of CONCACAF Champions Cup Showdown