Inter Miami boss Javier Mascherano confirmed Lionel Messi will miss the Herons’ all-important Leagues Cup clash with Pumas UNAM.
Alarm bells sounded when Messi was forced to come off the pitch just 11 minutes into Miami’s match against Necaxa on Saturday night. The club later announced the Argentine suffered a minor muscle injury in his right leg.
Inter Miami did not specify a timeline for Messi’s return, but Masherano revealed the status of his star player ahead of his team’s Phase One finale against Liga MX side Pumas UNAM.
“I spoke with him yesterday and the club sent out a release that was very clear. It’s a minor injury, which is good news,” Masherano said in his pre-match press conference.
“Especially with all of the noise around Leo when he misses a game, we don’t like to set a timeline. He’s a special player who can recover very well and normally recovers from injuries very quickly.
“Clearly he’ll miss the game [against Pumas UNAM] but afterwards we’ll watch how he’s progressing and when he’s ready, he’ll be back with us,” Masherano said.
Losing Messi, who is the Herons’ best playmaker and goalscorer, is a devastating blow for Inter Miami. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has tallied 33 goal contributions in 31 appearances this season, finding the back of the net 24 times.
The Barcelona legend also has nine assists to his name, two if which came in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup opener against Atlas. Messi created both goals in his side’s dramatic 2–1 victory, securing all three points for the Herons.
With their tournament berth on the line, Inter Miami will have to find a way to beat Pumas UNAM without their captain. Should the Eastern Conference side suffer a defeat in regulation or lose a penalty shootout, they could very well fail to qualify for the Leagues Cup knockout stage.
The good news for Masherano’s men, though, is that Maximiliano Falcón will be available to play on Wednesday night. The defender was sent off in Inter Miami’s 2–2 draw with Necaxa, but the red card has since been rescinded.
Inter Miami take on Pumas UNAM on Wednesday, Aug. 6, at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Javier Mascherano Confirms Lionel Messi’s Injury Status for Inter Miami vs. Pumas.