Inter Miami say Lionel Messi’s hamstring injury is minor but no timescale has been placed on the Argentina superstar’s potential absence.
Messi lasted just 11 minutes of Miami’s Leagues Cup game against Necaxa on Saturday night before limping off. He sustained the injury in trying to weave his way past Raul Sanchez and Alexis Pena on the edge of the area.
A club statement read: “Messi underwent medical tests to evaluate the extent of the muscle discomfort he experienced during last night’s Leagues Cup match against Necaxa, which forced him to leave the field.
“The results confirmed a minor muscle injury in his right leg. His medical clearance will depend on his clinical progress and response to treatment.”
Discomfort, not pain – Mascherano
Miami boss Javier Mascherano, whose side beat Necaxa 5-4 on a penalty shoot-out after a 2-2 draw, also hinted after the game that the injury didn’t look too serious.
“Leo felt a discomfort in his hamstring,” he said. “We won’t know the extent of the injury until tomorrow. He probably has something wrong. It might not be that serious because he wasn’t in pain, but he did feel discomfort.”
It remains to be seen if Messi will be fit for Miami’s next game against UNAM Pumas on Wednesday night.
His absence would be a major blow for Miami given the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s excellence this season.
Across all competitions, Messi has scored 24 goals and added 12 assists in 31 games.
