Inter Miami continues its journey in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup. Unfortunately, the MLS club will face the first leg of the Quarterfinals against Monterrey without its biggest star, Lionel Messi.
The opportunity to win a new title in his career is within reach for Lionel Messi. The Argentine striker is eager to secure the Concacaf Champions Cup with Inter Miami, although it won’t be an easy task for them.
In the Quarterfinals, they will face Monterrey. Even though the Mexican club is not currently in its best form, they could have a slight advantage in the first leg of their matchup, as it has been confirmed that Lionel Messi won’t participate in it.
Why is Lionel Messi not playing for Inter Miami vs Monterrey?
Lionel Messi will miss the Leg 1 game of the Quarterfinals of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup against Monterrey. The forward is still recovering from a muscle injury, and Gerardo Martino doesn’t want to risk him in this match.
A few days ago, Martino decided to bench Messi for the MLS game against New York City FC as a precautionary measure for this upcoming match. However, it seems like the 2022 FIFA World Cup champion couldn’t fully recover during this time.
This was a last-minute decision made by the coach. Apparently, Martino has opted to give Messi extra rest time, with the intention of having him available for the Leg 2 game next week.
Gaston Edul, TyC Sports journalist, confirmed today that Gerardo Martino made this decision. Subsequently, the club released a statement revealing that Messi won’t even be on the substitutes bench.
Will Lionel Messi be ready for the Leg 2 game against Monterrey?
While Lionel Messi won’t play in the first match of the Quarterfinals against Monterrey, there are high hopes that he’ll be ready for their second game, but it is not completely certain.
Inter Miami needs to defeat Monterrey at home to alleviate pressure on Lionel Messi. In the event that the MLS club ends with a negative score, Martino could be compelled to utilize his captain even though he’s not completely healthy.
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