Lionel Messi’s unexpected absence from Inter Miami’s training session on Wednesday caught both media and fans by surprise.
Coach Tata Martino had assured that Messi would be back in action on September 15 for the MLS match against Philadelphia Union. However, during the preparation session for this game on September 11, Messi was notably missing, raising concerns about his readiness to return.
Despite Messi’s absence from the field, his bodyguard, Yassine Chueko, was spotted at Inter Miami’s headquarters, indicating that the Argentine superstar is present. This has left fans questioning why Messi was not participating in the training session
The reason Messi skipped training with the entire Inter Miami team was explained by journalist Gaston Edul. Specifically, Messi’s ankle problem did not worsen or cause a new injury, but because the Argentine superstar had the flu, doctors asked him to practice indoors instead of going out on the field.
Lionel Messi has been recovering for the past two months to be able to return to play with Inter Miami soon, he is still on the way back and if he is not fit enough to play against Philadelphia Union this weekend, he can still return when the home team meets Atlanta United in the middle of next week.
Lionel Messi last played for Inter Miami in June, scoring in a 3-3 draw with St. Louis City before being called up to the Argentina squad for the 2024 Copa America. In the nine games without Messi, Inter Miami have had a remarkable run, winning eight of their matches.
Currently, after 27 rounds of MLS Eastern, Inter Miami is still maintaining the top position in the rankings with 59 points, 8 points more than the team right behind, Cincinnati.
