After missing Saturday’s victory over D.C. United due to a leg muscle injury, Lionel Messi’s status will be assessed “week by week,” according to Inter Miami manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino.
Messi has now missed two consecutive MLS games. He missed Miami’s 3-2 loss to Montreal on Sunday and was substituted early in the second half of Miami’s 3-1 victory over Nashville on Wednesday, which advanced the team to the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals.
Messi, 36, will travel to the United States to play two friendly international matches with the Argentina team: on March 22 in Philadelphia against El Salvador, and on March 24 in Los Angeles against Costa Rica.
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“Messi’s injury must be dealt with week by week, and we will evaluate it,” Martino stated. “It is evident that he has an objective, and that is to compete in the Concacaf quarterfinals.
“He hurt his muscles. The national team members should discuss the selecting process.”
Following Miami’s victory over Nashville, Martino had stated that Messi was experiencing “a muscle overload in his right leg.”
In the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals, Miami will take on Liga MX’s CF Monterrey. The first leg of the match will take place at home on April 3; the second leg will take place in Mexico one week later. Miami’s MLS match versus New York City FC is scheduled on March 30.
Miami defeated D.C. 3-1 despite Messi’s injury thanks to two goals from former Barcelona colleague Luis Suárez.
The Uruguayan started the match as a substitute and came on in the 62nd minute, with the score knotted at one. In the 72nd and 85th minutes of play, he scored, giving Miami 10 points from their opening five games of the season.
