Messi misses Leagues Cup Quarterfinals due to muscle injury

Lionel Messi misses crucial Leagues Cup match

The Argentinian star Lionel Messi will not participate in the Leagues Cup quarter-final match between Inter Miami and Tigres UANL, due to a “minor” muscle injury. Messi suffered this mishap during the Leagues Cup group stage match against Necaxa on August 2, having to leave the field in the 11th minute. This injury prevented him from playing the following matches against Pumas UNAM and Orlando City SC. The forward reappeared with Inter Miami on Saturday, coming on as a substitute in the second half against LA Galaxy, where he scored a goal and provided an assist in 45 minutes of play. Despite his outstanding performance, coach Javier Mascherano confirmed that Messi did not feel one hundred percent comfortable when leaving the match against the Galaxy, so he would be monitored. In the days leading up to the quarter-final match, Messi trained separately from the rest of the team, which raised doubts about his participation. Mascherano had emphasized that Messi was not initially ruled out, but that he would be carefully observed.

Mascherano stated on Tuesday: “Leo did not train with the group; he trained separately. It was a bit like the same situation I described the other day after the match, when he felt uncomfortable during those 45 minutes he played. Nothing, we’ll see during tomorrow’s training.”

But it’s not ruled out. It’s not ruled out. I can’t tell you today if he will play or not. Because it depends a lot on how he feels.

Javier Mascherano

Messi arrived at Chase Stadium with his teammates before the start of Wednesday’s match, but he was wearing street clothes. Now, the Argentine star will have to watch the match from the stands, while Inter Miami tries to advance to the Leagues Cup semifinals without their number 10 star, facing Tigres from Liga MX. The club won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2023, with Messi leading Inter Miami to the title after his debut in July of that year.