How severe is Lionel Messi’s injury? It all depends on your belief.
Messi watched from the sidelines as Inter Miami played out a thrilling 1-1 draw against New York City FC. The match witnessed the Herons equalize in stoppage time and come close to securing a valuable victory with a late effort that hit the underside of the crossbar.
Despite the dramatic ending to a game that was delayed due to storms around DRV PNK Stadium, Messi remained the center of attention after the match.
A report from the Inter Miami Podcast (which is not affiliated with the team) stated that Messi had suffered a “2cm hamstring tear, confirmed by an MRI, likely ruling him out for the rest of the MLS season.”
However, head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino dismissed the report as inaccurate during the post-match press conference.
“Only time will tell if what I’m saying is true or if the person who made the report is right,” Martino said. “We will assess Messi’s situation game by game. We will determine if he can be on the bench, if he will be unavailable, whether it’s against Chicago or FC Cincinnati. He’s training separately from the group, but he’s making progress and feeling better.”
Messi has been seen participating in Miami’s recent training sessions to some extent, although his capabilities remain uncertain. Martino had previously stated that Messi would return before the end of the MLS season.
(Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Miami still has hope if Messi returns
As the regular season draws to a close, a single point was not the ideal result for Messi’s side.
However, amidst the chaotic Eastern Conference playoff race, Miami actually moved one point closer to the top nine compared to the start of the match. Out of the seven teams competing for the remaining two spots, only one (the Chicago Fire) won on Saturday, while three suffered defeats elsewhere.
The downside is that the Herons are currently four points behind CF Montréal in ninth place (with D.C. United and the Fire trailing on the games-won tiebreaker). With only four games remaining, there is no margin for error.
The upside is that Miami has a game in hand over Montréal and Chicago, and two games in hand over D.C. This means that a couple of slip-ups from teams that seem unable to string together a positive streak would provide Miami with an opportunity.
“We have been playing many decisive games, both mentally and physically,” Martino remarked. “Despite all the problems, we are playing with dignity and trying to win. Three months ago, we were at the bottom of the table, and these guys have brought us to where we are today. We have high expectations.”
Miami has been fiercely competing in a series of close matches, despite a relentless schedule. The draw against NYCFC was their fifth game in two weeks, a number that will increase by two within the next six days. The Herons will travel to Chicago for a match against the Fire on Wednesday, followed by a home encounter with Cincinnati on Saturday.