Last year, just weeks after his arrival, Lionel Messi helped Inter Miami clinch its first silverware-the Leagues Cup. Now that Miami begins its title defense by facing Mexico’s Puebla tonight, all eyes will be searching for the Argentine who orchestrated the last Leagues Cup win. Anyhow, Inter Miami has lately proven that it can thrive without Messi, as he has been missing games since Miami’s 3-3 draw against St Louis on June 01 to nurse his hamstring injury.

When he recovered from the hamstring woe, Leo Messi broke his ankle ligament during the Copa America. He was last seen wearing a walking boot to the Herons’ training camp. Is Messi ready to move from the training pitch to the Leagues Cup stage? Let’s find out.

Is Inter Miami starting its League Cup defense without Lionel Messi?

Yes, the world champion’s hurt ankle is yet again stopping him from stepping up for the South Florida side. Miami boss Tata Martino confirmed during Friday’s presser that Lionel Messi will remain absent for the Puebla clash at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. The Herons’ medical staff are analyzing Messi’s recovery on a week-to-week basis. Martino also said Messi is continuing his isolated training till recovery and he has to wear a walking boot for the time being. The coach added, “But the ankle is getting better and better.”

Leo Messi twisted his ankle during Argentina’s triumphant Copa America final against Colombia on July 14. He left the pitch in tears and pictures from the otherwise joyous night showed his ankle had swollen tremendously. Though Miami has confirmed that Messi is going through the weekly evaluation, certain soccer analysts, such as Herculez Gomez, critique them for not giving detailed updates on the injury situation. As of now, there’s no timeline for the Argentine’s return. But Miami only has to play their next game, a Leagues Cup tie against Tigres UANL, only a week after tonight’s clash.

So, fans can hope the 8x Ballon d’Or winner will return next week after warding off his injury. However, while Messi’s presence pulls crowds, Inter Miami has come to a ‘no Messi, no problem’ phase. Let’s see how the Herons have fared without their main man.

Inter Miami has an impressive winning streak in Messi’s absence

Injuries and national duty have kept Lionel Messi out of Inter Miami’s last seven games. David Beckham’s side has won six out of these seven. An embarrassing 6-1 loss against Cincinnati was the only roadblock the Herons faced this month. Currently, the Herons top the MLS table in the Eastern Conference, five points clear of the second-seeded Cincinnati.

So, with or without Messi, Inter Miami has been on a roll. They could carry this momentum in the game against Puebla, but Luis Suarez’s knee problem remains a concern for their frontline. Even so, Miami’s next Leagues Cup game is seven days later and Messi and Suarez could get past their injuries by then. What’s more? The Herons return to the MLS only on August 24th, after a 20-day break. That’s ample time for La Pulga to bounce back stronger and fuel the fire Miami has already lit up.