Lionel Messi suffered what Inter Miami is calling “a minor muscle injury in his right leg” during Miami’s Leagues Cup penalty shootout win over Necaxa on Saturday. Messi underwent medical exams to determine the extent of the injury, according to a club statement on Sunday.
It is unclear how long Messi will be out of action. Messi was substituted in the 11th minute of Miami’s second Leagues Cup match after he fell to the ground and clutched his right leg. Miami head coach Javier Mascherano told reporters after the game that Messi had injured his right hamstring, but that he may have avoided a more serious injury after talking to Messi after Miami’s penalty shootout win.
Messi’s availability will be evaluated by the club’s medical staff. Messi’s two assists in game one of the tournament’s group phase powered Miami to a last-minute victory over Atlas at Chase Stadium. It goes without saying that, despite the recent inclusion of Rodrigo de Paul, Miami’s attack will be severely limited without Messi.
The superstar Argentine has scored 18 goals and added nine assists after 18 MLS regular-season appearances this year. Messi has been on a tear lately, scoring two goals in six out of seven matches, including a record five straight games with a brace.
Plus, Miami has relied more heavily on Messi this summer, including during the club’s recent participation at the Club World Cup. Messi played over 90 minutes in all four of Miami’s matches. It should be noted that Messi has a history of hamstring injuries, dating back to his prime years at Barcelona. He has missed a handful of games since joining Miami in 2023 due to a similar diagnosis.
Miami will face Pumas on Wednesday in their third and final group stage match. Miami is second in the MLS side of the bracket with five points, just one point behind the Portland Timbers.
Miami will need a positive result against Pumas to increase their chances of being one of the four MLS teams that will advance to the second round. The Leagues Cup final will be played on August 31.
(Photo: Sam Navarro / Imagn Images)