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Injury expected to sideline Lionel Messi for Saturday's match at D.C. United

The Argentine superstar suffered an apparent hamstring injury in Inter Miami's victory over Nashville in the Concacaf Champions Cup on Wednesday night.

By Steven Goff | 2024-03-14

Coach Gerardo Martino consoles Lionel Messi after the Argentine superstar left Inter Miami's Concacaf Champions Cup match with an apparent hamstring injury early in the second half Wednesday. (Chris Arjoon / AFP via Getty Images)

Lionel Messi is probably going to miss Inter Miami's match against D.C. United on Saturday at Audi Field after suffering an apparent hamstring injury Wednesday night, Miami Coach Gerardo Martino said.

After recording a goal and an assist in the first half of a 3-1 home victory over Nashville SC in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Argentine superstar departed in the 50th minute.

Martino told reporters at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., that he does not expect Messi to be available for the game in Washington -- Messi's first scheduled visit to Audi Field since joining MLS last summer. MLS teams must submit their injury report by 5 p.m. on Friday.

He came out of Wednesday's game because "we didn't want to take any risks," Martino said, according to the Miami Herald. "We wanted to see if he could hang on a bit more, but it was bothering him so we preferred to take him out of the game."

Martino described the injury as a mild strain in the right hamstring.

His absence in D.C. would undoubtedly disappoint fans who paid top dollar for tickets. Initially, seats to the Miami game were available only through season ticket packages and other premium offerings.

Season-ticket holders paid more for the Miami match than other games. One fan told The Washington Post that his seat on the second level was priced between $43 and $48 for each of 16 home games and $150 for Miami.

Messi, who will turn 37 this summer, missed Sunday's regular season match against Montreal after being listed as questionable with a shin injury. He played every minute of the first three league matches, posting three goals and an assist, and logged all 90 minutes in the first leg of the Champions Cup series with Nashville last week.

Fatigue and injuries took a toll late last season when Messi missed multiple games.

Messi is scheduled to join his World Cup champion national team next week for friendlies against El Salvador on March 22 in Philadelphia and Costa Rica on March 26 in Los Angeles. Those games are part of Argentina's preparations for defending its Copa America title this summer.

MLS does not always pause for international windows, so even if he's healthy, Messi will miss Miami's away match against the New York Red Bulls on March 24. He will also miss several games while on Copa America duty, starting in June.

United's away game against Messi and Miami is May 18.


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