Ross Devonport Sep 20, 2023 9:38pm ET4 minute read
Messi leaves the game with a slight limp in the first half
Inter Miami star Lionel Messi limps off the field as he is substituted midway through the first half.
Lionel Messi was substituted in the 37th minute of Inter Miami CF’s 4-0 win over Toronto FC on Wednesday with an apparent leg injury, just minutes after his former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba also left the field.
Messi and Alba, both of whom started after missing Saturday’s 5-2 loss to Atlanta United FC, did not have particularly difficult tackles or visibly limp, but were clearly suffering from physical ailments.
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Both players went straight to the bench rather than the locker room after leaving the field, and Miami’s Facundo Farias scored soon after, giving the home team a 1-0 lead at halftime. Robert Taylor then scored two spectacular goals in the second half either side of a Benjamin Cremaschi strike to secure the three points for Gerardo Martino’s side.
Messi looked lively at the start and had a golden chance in the 23rd minute when his volley shot over the crossbar from close range at the far post. But 15 minutes later it was clear that the Argentine was struggling due to physical problems and he was replaced by Taylor.
Alba left just four minutes before Messi. Toronto also made two substitutions before the Miami duo left the game, with another former Barcelona youth player – Victor Vasquez – being sent off in the 12th minute. His replacement, Brandon Servania, was substituted just 14 minutes later with an apparent knee injury.
Lionel Messi leaves the field during the first half of Miami’s game against Toronto in MLS.USA Today Images
Before being substituted, Messi spent a few minutes dealing with what appeared to be a leg problem. He stretched during the game, then eventually took off the captain’s armband and simply waited for the game to end so he could leave – and didn’t even wait to leave the pitch before untying his boots, pulling down his socks and wearing his Shin guards took off.
Messi had missed his last two games – one for club, the other for the national team – in recent days, having missed Argentina’s World Cup qualifying win in Bolívia on September 12 and loss to Atlanta on Saturday.
Fatigue was cited in both cases and Messi was not made available for comment.
Wednesday’s game was the first of six games for Inter Miami in 17 days. The team next plays at Orlando City SC on Sunday and then hosts Houston Dynamo FC in the US Open Cup final on September 27. There are three more MLS games coming soon: September 30th against New York City FC, October 4th at Chicago Fire FC and October 7th at FC Cincinnati.
The result puts Miami five points behind DC United, which drew 1-1 with Cincinnati on Wednesday for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with two games remaining.
Messi arrived on Wednesday having played 11 games for Miami, most of them in the Leagues Cup and US Open Cup. He scored 11 goals and five assists in those first 11 appearances, including one goal and two assists in three MLS games.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.