Having sat out for almost a month due to a hamstring injury, superstar Lionel Messi could return to action when Inter Miami host Colorado Rapids in the Major League Soccer (MLS) at Fort Lauderdale on Saturday.
Messi has not played since March 13, when he saw 50 minutes of action in Inter Miami’s Champions Cup match against Nashville SC before leaving with his hamstring injury.
He was considered a match-day decision on Wednesday when Inter Miami hosted Mexican power Monterrey in the Champions Cup. But Messi did not dress, and Monterrey stunned Miami 2-1 by scoring the game-winning goal in the 89th minute.
Miami confirmed later Friday that Messi would return to the roster for Saturday’s MLS clash against the Colorado Rapids. The club posted its roster with an image of Messi and the words: “he’s back.”
It remains to be seen what role Messi will play in the contest, but Inter Miami assistant coach Javi Morales said earlier that he was getting better all the time.
“He’s getting better every day, like Tata Martino said,” Morales said. “He’s day-by-day, we’re going to see how he feels today, then we’ll make a decision for Saturday.”
Messi returned to training with the rest of the squad this past Tuesday.
“He trains every day with the physio and on the field. Sometimes, depending on how he feels, he trains with the team and the physio. But lately, he’s been participating in the training sessions so he’s getting better,” Morales said.
Morales said the match on Saturday remains a priority, putting the second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal clash against Monterrey on the backburner.
“We’re going to see how he feels at training. If he feels good, I’m sure Tata will want to count on him [on Saturday] whether it’s 10 minutes, 15 minutes or 45. We want to have him.
“We’re going to do the best for him, that’s the most important thing. Based on the game tomorrow, we’re going to make a decision first, then we’ll see what happens Wednesday,” Morales said when asked if Messi would play against the Rapids with the second leg against Monterrey just days later.
