(CNN Spanish) — Lionel Messi, the star of Inter Miami, will have to be absent from the field again due to a physical problem. In January and February, he suffered adductor inflammation. Now, an overload in the posterior muscle of his right leg forces him to take precautions this season at almost 37 years old, as confirmed by his coach, Gerardo Martino.
To the busy schedule of matches in the MLS, Messi must also defend two crowns: the Concacaf Champions Cup, which already has him in the quarterfinals with Inter Miami, and the Copa América with the Argentina National Team, midyear.
Martino, coach of Inter Miami, has already warned that for the Olympic Games he has no obligation to give up his players, which calmed speculation about a possible presence of Messi in Paris 2024.
The physicist speaks to Messi
“The challenge is in the moment, the time is always now,” says a famous phrase. Lionel Messi’s challenge at this moment is to stop along the way to recalibrate his steps.
The top star of the MLS shone this Wednesday in the first half of the 3-1 victory against Nashville SC at Chase Stadium, which meant a place in the quarterfinals of the Concachampions.
Messi scored a goal, assisted Suarez to score another goal and showed flashes typical of his hierarchy. However, he slowed his progress in the final part of the first half. Four minutes into the second act, he was replaced due to muscle discomfort.
Gerardo Martino and Lionel Messi after his substitution during the round of 16 CONCACAF Champions Cup soccer match between Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on March 13, 2024. Credit: Chris Arjoon/AFP
“To the quarterfinals,” says Messi’s Instagram post that he shared this Thursday, smiling at the success achieved. But La Pulga did not refer to the illness that forced him to leave the playing field prematurely.
“We tried to see if he could hold on, but it was bothering him and we preferred him to leave,” Martino explained after the match at a press conference.
“He has an overload in his right posterior (muscle),” confirmed the coach about the ailment suffered by the Argentine star.
The South Florida team will play this Saturday at Audi Field in Washington against DC United, without Messi. “It will not be available, that’s the only thing I can say about what’s to come. They’ll probably take an image of it. We’ll see how it evolves,” Martino confirmed.
Three Messi losses in two and a half months
Over the course of this season, Messi already had to recalculate his gait on three occasions. On the tour of Saudi Arabia, he entered in the final minutes against Al Nassr. Then, he did not play in the match against the Hong Kong National Team. The reason was an inflammation in the adductor, according to what Martino and the footballer himself said.
In Inter Miami’s only official defeat in the MLS in 2024, the Rosario star was not present against Montreal at Chase Stadium by decision of the coach, who opted to give him a rest after the first leg against Nashville SC. Now the loss is added in this Saturday’s duel against DC United in the American capital.
11 games played and a strong carousel of games to come.
So far in 2024, Messi has been present in 11 games, between friendly matches and official duels.
He started against the El Salvador National Team, Dallas FC, Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Vissel Kobe (Japan) and with Newell’s (Argentina), and added a few minutes in the final part of the match against Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia).
In official MLS matches, he played three games: Salt Lake, Los Angeles FC and Orlando. He also started in the two challenges against Nashville SC, for the round of 16 of the Concacaf Champions Cup.
March: two games left
His absence already confirmed for this Saturday, this month there are two other commitments left for Inter Miami: March 23 and 30, visiting and hosting New York. However, he will miss those matches because he is called up to participate in the National Team’s friendlies.
On March 22, the world champions will play El Salvador at Lincoln Financial Field in New Jersey. Meanwhile, on the 26th they will face Costa Rica, at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
April: 6 games
The fourth month of the year will begin with the first leg of the Concacaf Champions quarterfinals against the winner of Monterrey vs. Cincinnati. The first leg will be played between Tuesday the 2nd and Thursday the 4th, while the rematch will be played between Tuesday the 9th and Thursday the 11th.
Inter Miami will also have four games against these rivals in April: Colorado (home, Saturday the 6th), Kansas City (visit, Saturday the 13th), Nashville SC (home, Saturday the 20th), and New England (visit, the Saturday 27th).
A seventh and eighth match that could be added in April, if the previous stage is passed, would correspond to the semifinal of the Concacaf Champions, whose first leg is set between Tuesday the 23rd and Thursday the 25th and the rematch could be played on Tuesday 30.
May: minimum 6 commitments
The fifth month of the year could begin with the rematch of the Concachampions semifinal. This could happen, if they get past the quarterfinals, on Wednesday the 1st or Thursday the 2nd.
The series will continue with the commitments with the MLS, which will be 6:
New York (home, Saturday the 4th), Montreal (visit, Saturday the 11th), Orlando (visit, Wednesday the 15th), DC (home, Saturday the 18th), Vancouver (visit, Saturday the 25th) and Atlanta United (home , on Wednesday 5/29).
June: MLS, Copa América and possible final
June is a month of strong resonance for Messi, since it is assumed that he will be focusing on the Argentina National Team, which will seek to revalidate its Copa América crown won in Brazil in 2021.
However, before that, La Pulga would be present in Saturday’s match against St. Louis at home, defending the pink jersey in the MLS. But that match could be postponed if Inter Miami qualifies for the Concachampions final, which is scheduled for June 2 as a single match.
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Chase Stadium on March 2024. Credit: Rich Storry/Getty Images
He would not play the matches against Philadelphia Union (visit, Saturday the 15th), Columbus Crew (home, Wednesday the 19th), and Nashville (visit, Saturday the 29th) because he was concentrated with his national team.
The albiceleste will begin to defend their title on Thursday the 20th in Atlanta against Trinidad and Tobago or Canada (who will meet this March 23). On the 25th she will play her second match against Chile in New Jersey and on the 29th she will clash with Peru at the close of the group stage matches in Miami.
July: for another final
If Argentina advances in the prestigious continental tournament, it could play in the following instances and dates:
Quarter finals: between July 4 and 6.
Semifinals: between July 9 and 10.
Third place: July 13.
Final: July 14.
Did Martino lower his thumb for Paris 2024?
This seventh month of the year could be another moment of strong waves for Messi, but the Inter Miami coach has planted a flag. Martino gave as an example what one of his players, Diego Gómez, star of the Paraguay National Team, will have to play in June.
“Gómez has the Copa América and the Olympic Games. We know that we have to give the Cup and the Games, no. We communicate, since I have many friends there, and I told them to choose only one. I am pro-selection , but in this case there are two competitions together and it implies that a player is away for more than two months, so they are going to tell me which tournament they want him for,” he said at a press conference about Gómez’s situation, which has a parallel with Messi’s calendar.
The captain of the Argentine team has reached the age of 36 almost physically, which allows him to continue playing at a high competitive level. He is achieving this based on great care of his body, an orderly life since he has not had serious injuries in his career, as recognized by colleagues and technicians who knew him closely.
In any case, he will turn 37 on June 24 and at this stage Messi has had to accept breaks that he was not allowed in other seasons. Now, it is not uncommon to see him come out in the second half or even start as a substitute.
“The conversation with Messi was only to explain to him that we had three games in a week, that we were coming from a very great wear and tear, that he was going to have to stop at some point,” Martino commented when he excluded him from the headlines for the first time. “And he was agree,” the DT remarked at a press conference.
Messi arrived in Miami with the goal of “continuing enjoying football” and emphasized “being happy” with his family. In his new life, it has become clear that the strong competitive spirit continues to run through his veins. But on the journey, his body shows him the steps to take day by day. Now, a forced rest is imposed. After that he will return, and in the green rectangle, he will continue to enchant with his usual sublime art.
2024-03-15 12:40:00
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