Coach Martino of Inter Miami disputes allegations of Messi’s injuries.
Messi didn’t dress up for Inter Miami’s dramatic 1-1 draw with New York City FC, a game in which the Herons tied the score in stoppage time and came close to winning it all with an even later shot that hit the underside of the crossbar.
Storms in the area of DRV PNK Stadium caused a frantic finale to the game, but Messi was still the primary topic of conversation afterwards.
Messi “sustained a 2 [centimeter] hamstring tear, confirmed via MRI, likely shutting him down for the remainder of the MLS season,” according to the Inter Miami Podcast, which is unrelated to the organization.
Gerardo “Tata” Martino, the head coach, denied the report as untrue following the game.
“Time will tell whether what I am saying is true or whether that person who made the report is right,” Martino remarked in his press conference following the game. “What I said is true. We’ll keep an eye on this from match to match.
“We are going to assess him. We’ll know if he’s going to sit on the bench or be [unavailable] whether it’s against FC Cincinnati or Chicago. Even though he is working on the field alone from the rest of the team, he is becoming better.
Messi has been observed working at least somewhat during Miami’s most recent training sessions, although it’s still unknown just how much he is capable of. Messi would return before the MLS season was through, according to Martino.
If Messi comes back, Miami may have some hope.
The lone point was not really what Messi’s team needed as the regular season came to an end.
Despite the Eastern Conference playoff race being a muddy, slippery mess, Miami concluded the night one point closer to the top nine than it was before play began. On Saturday, only one of the seven teams vying for the final two spots—the Chicago Fire—won, and three other teams suffered defeats elsewhere.
Is that terrible news? The Herons are in ninth position, four points behind CF Montréal, who is ahead of D.C. based on the number of games won, United and the Fire. There are only four games left, therefore there is absolutely no space for error.
Which is good? Miami only needs a few mistakes from teams that don’t look capable of going on winning streaks to have a shot because it has a game or two on Montréal, Chicago, and D.C.
Martino remarked, “We have been playing a lot of games, and they are all decisive games, not just intellectually but physically. “Despite all the difficulties, our goal is to win, and today’s work was respectfully done. These people were able to move us up to where we are now from last place when we originally started three months ago. Great things are expected of us.
Miami has been fighting until the very end of a string of games that were tight, despite the club’s grueling schedule. The team’s draw with NYCFC was its fifth game in two weeks; in the following six days, that number will increase by two. The Herons will play the Fire in Chicago on Wednesday before hosting Cincinnati the following day.