Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, the 36-year-old Argentine football icon, will be given a day off on Sunday as his team faces CF Montreal. This decision comes amidst concerns over Messi’s fitness following a hard tackle in their recent game against Nashville SC.
Despite playing every minute in Miami’s previous MLS matches and their Concacaf Champions League draw against Nashville SC on Thursday, assistant coach Javier Morales hinted at Messi’s absence during a media availability on Saturday. Morales emphasized the importance of managing Messi’s workload considering his pivotal role in the team and the upcoming fixtures.
“We all know Leo and he is a player who wants to play every game,” Morales stated. “But we will have a conversation with him, see how he feels, and try to decide what is best for him because he has played 90 minutes every game.”
Messi, who contributed to Miami’s 2-2 draw against Nashville with a crucial goal, suffered a hard tackle on his shin late in the game. While Morales described it as just a “knock,” Messi was later listed as questionable with a shin issue on MLS’ player status report.
Similarly, Messi’s teammate Luis Suarez, who also scored against Nashville, may also be rested against Montreal. Despite Suarez’s fitness, Morales stressed the importance of managing players’ minutes to avoid burnout, especially in the early stages of the season.
“Luis is fine, he has played all the games and scored,” Morales confirmed. “But both Luis and Leo, along with all the players, have been playing a lot of minutes, especially in this stretch of matches. We have to manage it the best we can because it’s a long season.”
While Morales remained non-committal on the final lineup, another former Barcelona player, Jordi Alba, is expected to feature against Montreal as suggested by the assistant in the previous day’s press conference.
Miami’s decision to rest key players like Messi and possibly Suarez underscores their strategic approach to balancing performance and player welfare throughout the demanding season. With the return leg against Nashville looming on Wednesday in the Concacaf Champions Cup round-of-16 tie, the management is prioritizing the long-term fitness and performance of their star players.
As Inter Miami prepares for the clash against CF Montreal without their talismanic figure, fans eagerly anticipate how the team will fare in Messi’s absence. The match against Montreal presents an opportunity for other players to step up and showcase their abilities while providing Messi and Suarez much-needed rest ahead of crucial fixtures.
Miami will seek to maintain their momentum in both domestic and international competitions as they navigate a challenging season ahead. With experienced figures like Messi and Suarez leading the team, Inter Miami remains a formidable force in the MLS and beyond, even as they strategically manage their star players’ workload to ensure sustained success.
