Inter Miami coach Javier Morales has hinted if Lionel Messi could be out injured for tomorrow’s MLS clash against Orlando City after missing training.
The Argentine international picked up a nasty knock on Saturday against CF Montreal that resulted in Messi being forced off, though the 36-year-old attacker managed to return to action and finish the game.
Having started the last seven games in all competitions, Messi’s form has been nothing short on unbelievable, with the attacker registering 12 goals and 11 assists and leading Inter Miami to the top of the MLS Supporters’ Shield standings.
Yet there is a chance that Messi could be out for tomorrow’s game.
Messi to be evaluated by Inter Miami after picking up new injury
Speaking to the press after today’s training session, assistant coach Morales revealed that Messi will be evaluated ahead of tomorrow’s Florida derby against Orlando, with the Argentine missing a portion of training today.
With Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets also absent, Inter Miami could be without three key players tomorrow against Orlando, which could bring an end to the winning streak in MLS.
Morales said when asked what the latest is with Messi’s fitness and if he will be healthy enough to feature tomorrow: “He has a knock from the game on Saturday.
“He played through it and finished the game. He applied ice after the match, and yesterday he trained with the guys who did recovery exercises. We will evaluate to see how Leo is feeling and see if he’s ready for tomorrow.”
Messi could benefit from starting tomorrow on the bench vs Orlando
Whilst Messi missed part of today’s training, there’s a good chance that the forward could still feature tomorrow night against Orlando, and starting on the bench might be a wise decision.
We have seen in recent fixtures what happens when Inter Miami rush Messi back from an injury, with the veteran attacker simply not able to return from knocks ahead of schedule.
And easing Messi back into action after this latest blow could be a smart decision from Inter Miami, who would be smart to start the attacker on the bench tomorrow against Orlando.