Is Lionel Messi Injured? Tata Martino Provides Update on the Argentine’s Condition Following Brutal Tackle in Nashville vs Inter Miami Clash

Moments ago, Inter Miami played their CONCACAF Champions League RO16 against Nashville. In a surprising turn of events, Leg 1 ended in a 2-2 draw. However, the spotlight has shifted away from the scoreline to the injury concerns surrounding Lionel Messi. The Argentine star became the victim of a brutal challenge, raising questions about his condition.

Notably, the challenge was made by Nashville’s center-back Lukas MacNaughton around the 75th minute. La Pulga was pressing MacNaughton to win the ball near the touchline, but as the defender cleared the ball, he stepped on the No. 10’s shin. This caused Messi to go down, as he was seen receiving treatment from the medics. Luckily, the 36-year-old stood up and helped his side make the comeback.

Speaking in the post-match press conference, the gaffer said, “Leo Messi finished the game well, he had fatigue in the later ones but everything is fine.” In a reassuring update from Tata Martino, Messi is confirmed to be fit as his injury is not deemed serious.

Jacob Shaffelburg’s two strikes in the early 4th and 46th minutes went in vain, as Messi equalized in the 52nd minute. Remarkably, with his goal, the 8X Ballon d’Or winner also surpassed his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo to achieve a remarkable feat. Luckily, in the 90+5th minute, Luis Suarez found the late equalizer to deny Miami losing the match. Either way, the four-goal thriller between Nashville and Inter Miami must have kept fans on the edge of their seats. Interestingly, today’s match also took a heated turn as both Messi and Suarez indulged in a heated altercation. 

What exactly happened between Lionel Messi and the Nashville players? 

In the 66th minute, Lionel Messi attempted a shot to take the lead, but it missed the opposition’s goal. Following this, Nashville’s Anibal Godoy appeared to engage in trash talk with Messi. This enraged Messi as he confronted Godoy, leading to a heated confrontation between the two players. The game was momentarily halted as players from both teams intervened to diffuse the situation.

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Adding to the tension, Luis Suarez also confronted Godoy, forcefully pushing him away and gesturing for him to leave the scene. However, other Inter Miami players intervened to separate Messi and Suarez from Godoy and prevent the argument from escalating further. Nevertheless, this incident is a testament to the intensity of the match. Nevertheless, both sides will have Leg 2 to decide the winner on March 14th.