Lionel Messi will miss the Major League Soccer collision of Inter Miami on Sunday with Florida -Rivalen Orlando while he continues to recover from a “small” muscle injury, said coach Javier Mascherano on Saturday.
“No, Leo will not be available tomorrow,” said Mascherano. “He is fine, but of course it would be crazy to take him to Orlando because of everything that awaits us.
“We are optimistic that he will return with us soon.”
After the Florida Derby collision with Orlando, Inter de La Galaxy organizes on August 16 and three days later they play a quarterfinals of Leagues Cup against Tigres Uanl in Mexico.
Messi, the eight-fold balloon d'Or winner, missed the last match of the Club's Last Leagues Cup Group Stage Stage after the “Minor Muscle Injessure” in his right-hand leg in Miami's victory on Necaxa on 2 August.
Inter is currently fifth in the MLS Eastern Conference, eight points behind leaders Philadelphia and a point for Orlando with three games in hand.
Despite the setback for Messi, Miami has been stimulated by the arrival of his Argentinian countryman Rodrigo de Paul, who scored his first goal for the herons in a 3-1 victory over Pumas Unam who have their quarterly-final berth in the Lageren.