When could Leo Messi return to action for Inter Miami | OneFootball

On the eve of the upcoming match against Orlando City in the Leagues Cup semifinals, Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Morales, who works alongside Javier Mascherano, spoke about Leo Messi’s potential presence in the game and left the door open for his return after he aggravated his muscle injury.

After confirming that La Pulga trained normally with the rest of his teammates, Morales also stated that they would wait until just before the match to decide whether Messi will start or not: “Jordi (Alba) and Leo trained with us, and they did well. They completed the training session. We’ll see how they feel throughout the day. Tomorrow we’ll make a decision for the match. Fortunately, they trained and that’s super positive. We have to wait.”

Although the good news that Messi trained alongside the team seems to spark hope, Morales chose caution when expanding on the matter, emphasizing that muscle injuries are “processes” that must be monitored daily: “We hope he’ll be on the squad list. These types of muscle injuries are a day-to-day process; you have to see how he feels the next day. I imagine he’ll be there, but we haven’t sent out the list yet.”

Of Inter Miami’s last five matches, Messi has only played in one, against LA Galaxy. Before that, he missed the games against Pumas and Orlando City due to a muscle issue, which he aggravated against the Los Angeles team, causing him to also miss the subsequent matches against Tigres and DC United. When asked if they might have rushed his return, Morales was clear: “I don’t think so. It’s a joint decision, discussed with the medical staff. Then, there are things that happen that go beyond reason. We try to do what’s best for the team, but also for the player. Especially with a player like Leo.”

If Messi does return to action this Wednesday for the Leagues Cup, the news will not only be celebrated at Inter Miami but will also be welcomed by the Argentina National Team. The captain has been included in Lionel Scaloni’s preliminary squad for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers against Venezuela (September 4) and Ecuador (September 9). So, although his presence in those matches was never in doubt, La Pulga will be able to arrive with some playing time ahead of the Albiceleste’s final stretch in the Qualifiers and what could be the Rosario native’s last competitive match with the national team on Argentine soil.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.