Miami Herald reporter Michelle Kaufman has identified a 'tiny red flag' following Tata Martino's latest comments on Lionel Messi's injury.
The
Argentina superstar damaged his right ankle when representing his country in
the 2024 Copa America final. He was able to lift the trophy at the end of the
tournament – taking his record-breaking haul of major honours to 45 – but has
been stuck on the sidelines ever since.
Messi was
forced to sit out the MLS A
ll-Star Game and Inter Miami’s disappointing defence
of their Leagues Cup crown that he helped to secure 12 months ago. The hope was
that an extended break would have the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner ready to
lead a charge for MLS Cup glory.
The Herons
will be back in domestic action on August 24, against Supporters’ Shield rivals
FC Cincinnati, but there is no sign of Messi stepping back onto the training
pitch just yet. With that in mind, Miami Herald reporter Michelle Kaufman has
told the Inside Inter Miami podcast: “They basically have one week off before
they’re playing again on August 24th, and the man still hasn’t stepped out on
the field, he’s still just working by himself in the gym.
“Tata
[Martino] has been saying before that he hopes to have the squad, including
Messi, fit before the end of August. But the day before Columbus [in the
Leagues Cup last 16], the wording changed to ‘we don’t have an estimate as to
his return yet’, so that little wording change was a tiny red flag.”
Messi’s
team-mates have been optimistically stating in public that they hope to have
their talismanic captain back in the not too distant future. No return date has
been put in place, though, and it remains to be seen when the mercurial 37-year-old
will be ready to take in another competitive outing.
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