There have been concerns over Lionel Messi’s ankle injury, which saw him miss Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers in September, but Messi could return to club action sooner than expected.
Inter Miami coach Tata Martino has confirmed that the Inter Miami captain is making good progress in individual training sessions and will play at least some part of the season for the Herons before the MLS playoffs begin in late October.
Speaking to reporters, coach Tata Martino elaborated on Messi’s return. Although he admitted that he could not give a timeline, the Argentine tactician gave some details: “There is no estimated time for Messi’s return. It will depend on how he feels and on the summary of the training sessions.”
But when asked if Messi would play again in the regular season, the former Argentina and Barcelona head coach replied with a clear “yes”.
Including his absence due to his participation in the 2024 Copa America, Messi has not featured for Inter Miami in over two months. The Herons were in the midst of their Leagues Cup campaign when he returned from international duty with an ankle injury. Inter Miami were eventually eliminated in the Round of 16 of the Leagues Cup without the “atomic flea”.
However, the Florida club currently has a 5-point lead over Cincinnati, in the MLS Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, the Argentine will continue to train privately as Inter Miami look set to secure a spot in the MLS playoffs. While there is no clear date for when the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will return before the playoffs, the final week of the season is October 19.
