The Argentine superstar’s return to the pitch was cut short when he was subbed off in the 37th minute during Inter Miami’s thrilling match against Toronto FC in sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Lionel Messi, after witnessing teammate Jordi Alba’s injury substitution, appeared to be in some discomfort. The tension escalated as Messi, the team’s captain, removed his armband and placed it on Deandre Yedlin before making his exit from the match.
Upon his return to the bench, Lionel Messi, displaying clear signs of frustration, reclined in his chair. As the first half still had eight minutes of stoppage time, he made his way to the locker room.
During the halftime Apple TV broadcast, Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino was asked about Messi and Alba, to which he responded.
“They had to go out. We will evaluate them as the days go by”
Inter Miami would go on to defeat Toronto FC 4-0.
This Wednesday’s match was Messi’s first appearance since September 7 when he played a crucial role in Argentina’s victory over Ecuador in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match.
Last weekend, Messi didn’t play in the club’s MLS regular season match against Atlanta United.
According to a club source who spoke, the decision to rest Messi, the Argentinian World Cup winner, was based on the significant number of games he had played since his July signing with the club. The source clarified that the choice had nothing to do with the turf field at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Get ready for the action! Inter Miami’s next showdown is against Orlando City SC this Sunday, and mark your calendars because they’ll be hosting Houston Dynamo FC in the thrilling US Open Cup final on September 27.
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