Will Lionel Messi play against Orlando City? Inter Miami coach drops hint on Argentine star
Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Morales has hinted that Lionel Messi could miss their upcoming MLS match against Orlando City. He revealed that the Argentine star was training with the recovery group and was yet to be declared fit for the Orlando game.
Speaking to the media, Morales cast doubt over Messi featuring for Miami in the upcoming encounter. The coach said the medical team will assess his situation before taking a call on his availability.
"He played through it and finished the game. He applied ice after the match, and yesterday he trained with the guys who did recovery exercises. We will evaluate to see how Leo [Lionel Messi] is feeling and see if he's ready for tomorrow," he said (via GOAL).
Inter Miami are doing well this season, with other players slowly starting to step up their game and help Messi take the team forward. MLS expert Andrew Wiebe praised Luis Suarez, Benjamin Cremaschi and Matias Rojas after the team's 3-2 win over Montreal on Sunday, May 12, and said (via InterMiami.news):
"Montreal were the better team in this match, but as we found out over and over, you can play better than Inter Miami, you can have the run of the game 95% of the time, but all it takes is that 5%. It's the quality they have and the confidence they have that the quality they have will come to the fore, and even if it's not Messi, it's Suarez, it's Rojas, it's Cremaschi, there is a laundry list of game-changers waiting to step up and to be the guy on any given day."
Inter Miami are currently on top of the Eastern Conference table after losing just two of their 13 league matches this season. Orlando City are 11th with just three wins from their 11 matches this term.
Lionel Messi is not the only Inter Miami star dealing with an injury
Lionel Messi has been dealing with a hamstring injury this season and has missed a few matches. He is once again a doubt for the Orlando City clash but is not the only Inter Miami star dealing with an injury.
Argentine defender Nicolas Freire has revealed that he is also carrying an injury but did not give more details. The defender told the media (via GOAL):
"I'm getting there, step by step, but this is a good league. As you know, I arrived with an injury and I have been carrying it for more than three months now. Personally, I am doing all I can to feel physically good, and this work is helping me feel 100%."
Inter Miami signed Nicolas Freire from Pumas UNAM in January to bolster the defence after Lionel Messi-led side failed to make it to the MLS playoffs last season.