July 17, (THEWILL) – Lionel Messi will be absent from Inter Miami’s next two Major League Soccer matches due to an ankle injury sustained during Argentina’s Copa América final victory. The 37-year-old footballer left the field in the 64th minute of the 1-0 win against Colombia with visible swelling in his right ankle.
Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino confirmed that Messi will not play in the upcoming home games against Toronto FC on Wednesday and Chicago Fire on Saturday. Martino stated that further tests are needed to determine the severity of the injury.
Messi took to Instagram to thank fans for their messages of support, expressing his hope to return to the pitch soon. He wrote: “I want to thank everyone for the messages and greetings. I’m fine, thank God, and I hope I can soon be on the field again enjoying what I like to do most.”
Inter Miami currently holds second place in the MLS Eastern Conference with 47 points from 23 matches, trailing leaders Cincinnati by one point. The team is set to begin defending their Leagues Cup title against MLS and Mexican league opponents next week.
Despite Messi’s absence, Inter Miami will look to maintain their strong form in the league as they push for top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
