Lionel Messi appeared on from the sidelines as Inter Miami CF misplaced 2-1 to Monterrey within the first leg of the groups’ Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Jorge Rodriguez netted a stellar objective late within the sport to present Monterrey the win on the night time, as Messi was seated at area degree supporting his teammates of their quest for a second trophy since his arrival in the summertime of 2023.
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Messi has been coping with a proper hamstring subject for practically a month, and although he educated with the remainder of the squad on Tuesday, Miami head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino informed media forward of the match that he would not danger additional harm to his star participant.
After the match, Martino reiterated the staff’s stance on Messi: “Like we stated, he is sport to sport. This wasn’t the sport he wasn’t prepared. That is how we’ll method the match in opposition to Colorado [on Saturday] and the second leg in opposition to Monterrey.
“Every single day he feels higher, however at present felt like too excessive a danger.”
Messi’s former Barcelona teammates Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba began for Miami in opposition to a Monterrey aspect that’s second within the Liga MX Clausura. It beat MLS aspect FC Cincinnati 3-1 on combination to succeed in the quarters.
Tomás Avilés opened the scoring for the house aspect within the first half from a nook kick, however Monterrey struck again by way of Maximiliano Meza minutes after Miami’s David Ruiz was despatched off within the sixty fifth minute together with his second yellow card of the night time.
With Miami attempting to carry on for the draw down a person, Rodriguez blasted a shot from exterior the field previous Drake Callender to present his staff the win and one other away objective forward of the second leg on April 10 in Mexico, through which Miami will likely be determined for its star participant to be out there.
“Immediately, given the state of affairs and the rival we had in entrance of us, realizing Monterrey had a full squad whereas we had essential absences, I favored the way in which we competed,” Martino added. “We did properly. If I evaluate the bits of the sport that I’ve in my head, we did not undergo from goal-scoring conditions. The set piece-play that led to the equalizer was unlucky for us, then the 2-1 objective from the midfield is a product of the hierarchy that the rival has.
“However actually, we competed properly and that is what I feel is essential and enticing for the staff.
Monterrey head coach Fernando Ortiz stated he had combined emotions about Messi being held out of the sport: “I like Leo, sportingly. I hold watching and hold admiring. I need to play in opposition to him, however I would like my staff to win.”
Messi final performed on March 13, making a 50-minute look for Miami in opposition to Nashville SC within the second leg of the Champions Cup spherical of 16. Regardless of the early substitution, the Miami star contributed to the 3-1 victory with a objective and an help.
“We performed in opposition to Nashville [in the round of 16],” Martino stated. “However when one will get [into] to the later rounds and begins enjoying essential video games in opposition to one of the best groups of the continent, it is a lesson for the membership. The youthful gamers and in that state of affairs, we matched the extent of the sport.
“I can not discover factors the place I can say the staff suffered for a selected purpose. Perhaps at sure factors we went again particularly within the second half, however I assumed we had been organized, we reduce away and went properly to the areas. I haven’t got something significantly essential to level out as unfavourable.”
General, Messi has scored 5 objectives and added two assists in 5 matches throughout all competitions for Miami this season earlier than getting injured. He additionally missed each of Argentina’s friendlies within the final worldwide window as a result of harm.
The MLS aspect bypassed the preliminary spherical of the Champions Cup by successful the inaugural version of Leagues Cup in 2023, earlier than beating Nashville within the spherical of 16 to advance to the quarterfinals.
The following match for Messi and Miami is an MLS dwelling sport in opposition to the Colorado Rapids on Saturday. It’s unknown at the moment whether or not he will likely be out there for that sport.