Victim of an injury last Wednesday, Lionel Messi will not be able to play with Argentina during this international window in March.
Scorer and assist last Wednesday during the round of 16 second leg of the Champions Cup (the Concacaf Champions League) won by Inter Miami ahead of Nashville (3-1 victory synonymous with qualification for the quarter-finals), Lionel Messi was forced to give up his place in the 50th minute of play. The reason? A hamstring injury.
Package for the trip of the Florida franchise to the lawn of DC United (1-3), Saturday, Lionel Messi will have to wait again before returning to competition. According to his coach Tata Martino, the eight-time Ballon d'Or will not be reinstated to play in Argentina's next two friendly matches, against El Salvador and Costa Rica, on March 23 and 27.
Return expected at the beginning of April
The Argentine icon should still join the Albiceleste rally, where doctors will take stock of his injury. “The injury, beyond today's absence, we have to manage it week after week. We take advantage of having full weeks to evaluate it as we go along,” said the Argentine coach at a press conference this weekend.
“For him, the objective is clear: to be in the conditions to play the quarter-finals of the Concacaf Champions League”, added Martino. Inter Miami will face Mexicans CF Monterrey on April 4, in the quarter-final first leg.
