Ever since Lionel Messi made his entry into Major League Soccer (MLS), Inter Miami CF have been practically unstoppable. Now, the dream run has hit a speed bump following an injury scare. And it’s not just the Argentine superstar who will be out of the squad. His fellow FC Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba also faces some injury concerns as some crucial matches await the team. Let’s take a look at the latest updates for Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba and when the stars will return to play for Inter Miami in the MLS.
Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba’s injuries in MLS
On Wednesday evening, Inter Miami faced Toronto FC in a key game of the MLS. Messi’s team are currently in pursuit of a playoff spot despite being in the bottom end of the table. While the home team clinched a resounding 4-0 win, the bottom-line was anything but positive.
⚠️ El Momento Preocupante ⚠️
Lionel Messi removed his armband and was substituted in the first half — a worrying sight in general but specially ahead of next Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup final.#InterMiamiCF #Messi𓃵 pic.twitter.com/2Y4PEOARkn
— Franco Panizo (@FrancoPanizo) September 21, 2023
Two of Inter Miami’s key players – Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba – left the pitch early in the first half. Around the 35th minute, Alba was subbed off and found himself icing his right hamstring. A couple of minutes later, Messi, too, left the pitch, leaving fans disappointed.
Notably, Messi had not played for Inter Miami since September 4 when he left for international duty. In his absence, they lost a game 5-2 against Atlanta United and won a game 3-2 against Sporting KC. To make things worse, the injury scare has cut short his return.
Latest injury update from Inter Miami manager
After leaving the pitch, the 36-year-old superstar looked visibly frustrated and tired. Alba too seemed to share a similar expression of exhaustion. Now, fans eagerly await an update regarding their injuries to figure out when they will be back.
🚨 Gerardo Tata Martino on Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba being substituted: "They had to go out, we will evaluate them as the days go by." pic.twitter.com/NimF5fhbGC
— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) September 21, 2023
Latest updates reveal that Lionel Messi did not sustain any injury on the field during the match against Toronto. In fact, the World Cup winner decided to sit out because of fatigue, according to the team’s manager Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino.
The coach believes that Messi stepped off the pitch as a preventive measure and to allow enough rest from his previous injury during the international break. As for Jordi Alba, it seems to be more of a muscular strain than actual damage.
Upcoming crucial games for Inter Miami
Fans expect both ex-Barcelona players to sit out the upcoming MLS game against Orlando City. Inter Miami would have to depend on the heroics of its other key players like Sergio Busquets, Robert Taylor and Benjamin Cremaschi to get a much-needed win.
Leo Messi is set to play 5 games with Inter Miami in the next 15 days! pic.twitter.com/PaUuCHnnsC
— Leo Messi 🔟 Fan Club (@WeAreMessi) September 15, 2023
As of now, Inter Miami’s priority would be to boost Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba’s recovery so that they can return for the US Open Cup final against Houston Dynamo on September 27. If not, they will be back in the MLS to face New York City around October 1.
Messi and Alba make a lethal attacking combination, which dates back to their days in La Liga. Their presence is essential in the upcoming US Open Cup final as well as other MLS games to make sure Inter Miami gets its coveted playoff spot.
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