Messi Returns To Inter Miami After Ankle Injury

Lionel Messi is poised to make his return for Inter Miami this Saturday, following a two-month absence due to an ankle injury, according to the team’s head coach, Gerardo Martino.

“Yes, he’s doing well,” Martino confirmed on Friday before a training session. “He trained on Thursday and is part of our plans for the match. After today’s training, we’ll finalize our strategy, but he’s available,” the Argentine coach added.

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Inter Miami, who currently lead the Eastern Conference and sit atop the overall MLS standings, will face the Philadelphia Union at home on Saturday.

Messi sustained the injury to his right ankle during the Copa America final on July 14, where he played a key role in Argentina’s victory over Colombia. Since then, he has missed eight MLS matches for Inter Miami, as well as Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers earlier this month.

“To get back the best player in the world to our team, which was already on a good run, we are all very happy with this situation,” said Martino.

Inter have already booked their place in the MLS Cup playoffs although their seeding will depend on how they finish the regular season which concludes on October 19.

The playoffs begin the following week and conclude with MLS Cup on December 7.

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Miami’s Finnish winger Robert Taylor concurred and said Messi’s return to training had given the team a boost.

“We’re already confident, but he gives us even more confidence now that he’s back training and hopefully he’s ready to play soon,” Taylor told the Miami Herald.

“He brings a lot of leadership. The way he’s competitive in training is really, really amazing to watch. He wants to win every little thing we do in training, whether it’s football tennis, rondos, or small-sided games, he just wants to win everything. So that boosts everyone to try to match that level,” he said.

Taylor doesn’t expect to see any lasting impact of the injury on the record eight-times Ballon d’Or winner.

“Of course, two months is a long time, for anyone, but he’s the best player there is. So, I don’t think we’ll see much of a different Messi than we’ve seen before,” he added.

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