Luis Suarez provides Lionel Messi injury update after Inter Miami's Leagues Cup opening win over Puebla

Inter Miami striker Luis Suarez provided an update on captain Lionel Messi's injury status after the Herons opened their Leagues Cup title defence with a 2-0 win over Puebla on Saturday (July 27).

Messi, 37, is down with a ligament injury sustained in Argentina's 1-0 extra-time win over Colombia in the Copa America final earlier this month. Since that game, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has missed three games for his club side, with his return date still unclear.

Suarez said after the win over Puebla that his former Barcelona teammate is approaching full fitness (as per Inter Miami news):

"Everyone knows how committed Leo is to this club, with his national team and his desire to be on the field. But as the days go by he is getting closer to his return to the field, which is where we all want to see him.”

Coming to the aforementioned game, Matias Rojas opened the scoring in the ninth minute before Suarez confirmed the result 18 minutes from time. The Uruguayan has bagged 15 goals and seven assists in 23 games across competitions since arriving at the start of the year.

How has Lionel Messi fared for Inter Miami this season?

Lionel Messi has had an injury-plagued start to his first full season in American football with Inter Miami. Having arrived last summer, La Pulga has contributed 14 goals and 11 assists in 15 games across competitions in 2024.

That includes 12 goals and nine assists in 12 games in MLS - where the Herons are five points clear at the top of the Eastern Conference after 25 games. His other goal contributions - two goals and two assists in three games - have come in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, where Tata Martinez's side crashed out in the quarter-finals.

Messi, who missed the 2-1 first-leg home loss to Monterrey due to injury, contributed an assist in the return leg, but the Herons fell 3-1 to lose 5-2 on aggregate.