Lionel Messi has missed Inter Miami’s last 11 games, with the forward missing a good chunk of matches due to the Copa America before picking up an injury in the final with Argentina.
Although Inter Miami were eliminated from Leagues Cup this week, the Herons have coped well without Messi with the Florida franchise winning eight of their 11 games without the reigning Ballon d’Or holder.
And with Messi keen to return for Inter Miami before the September international break, there’s real hope that the attacker could be back in pink before the end of this month, where an encounter with FC Cincinnati is on the cards.
Yet there could be a potential blow for Messi and his immediate return to Inter Miami.
Tata Martino hints that Messi’s return from injury has been pushed back
According to journalist Michelle Kaufman, Tata Martino has dropped a subtle hint that could indicate that Messi’s return from injury has been pushed back, with the attacker still not back on the field training with a ball.
With Messi only in the gym, there’s a real sense that the Argentine won’t be fit in time to face Cincinnati on August 24th, a game that Inter Miami will be desperate to win having now crashed out of Leagues Cup.
Kaufman said on Messi’s potential return from injury: “They basically have one week off before they’re playing again on August 24th, and the man still hasn’t stepped out on the field, he’s still just working by himself in the gym.
“Tata has been saying before that he hopes to have the squad, including Messi, fit before the end of August. But the day before Columbus, the wording changed to ‘we don’t have an estimate as to his return yet’, so that little wording change was a tiny red flag.”
Inter Miami can’t fall into the trap of rushing Messi back
There’s obvious frustration surrounding Messi’s fitness given how long it has been since the attacker last played for Inter Miami, with the clock likely to tick over to three months since the forward last featured for the Herons.
Yet for Inter Miami, they can’t fall into the trap of rushing Messi back from injury given what has happened in the past with the Florida franchise doing exactly that last year.
As a result, Inter Miami need to stick to their guns and give Messi as long as possible to recover, with the attacker needed if the Herons are to stand a chance of winning MLS Cup come the end of the year.