February 12, (THEWILL) — Lionel Messi faces uncertainty over his availability for Inter Miami’s opening match of the MLS season against Los Angeles FC on February 22. The Argentine forward sustained a muscle strain in his left hamstring during a friendly against Barcelona SC in Ecuador and was absent from the club’s training session on Wednesday.
Miami released a statement confirming the extent of the problem. The club said Messi did not take part in training on February 11 owing to the hamstring strain, which has continued to cause discomfort since the Ecuador fixture. Further medical examinations verified the initial diagnosis, with the player’s return to be determined by his clinical and functional improvement over the next few days.
The injury presents a significant concern for Miami, who begin their title defence in less than two weeks. Messi proved instrumental in their maiden MLS Cup triumph last term, contributing 29 goals and 19 assists during the regular campaign to claim the Golden Boot. His 48 combined regular-season goal involvements fell narrowly short of the league record of 49, set by Carlos Vela for LAFC in 2019.
The 37-year-old collected his second consecutive MLS MVP award following the successful campaign. He became the first player in the division’s history to win the individual honour in back-to-back seasons, cementing his status after a record-breaking debut year in American football.
Miami will monitor Messi’s progress closely in the coming days. The Herons’ ambitions of retaining their championship depend heavily on the fitness of their captain, who has redefined expectations since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain. Whether he will feature against LAFC remains unclear, with medical staff prioritising a cautious approach to his rehabilitation.
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.
