The former Barcelona star pulled out of the Argentina squad because of a hamstring injury but has started working again.
Luis Guillermo Vázquezluis_lgazulRoddy ConsRoddyConsUpdate: Mar 21st, 2024 02:37 EDT0
CHRIS ARJOONAFP
After pulling out of the Argentina squad for the upcoming friendly matches against El Salvador and Costa Rica, Inter Miami star Lionel Messi trained alone on Wednesday as The Herons step up preparations for Saturday’s MLS game against New York Red Bulls.
Concachampions tie against Monterrey the main target for Messi return
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who suffered a hamstring injury during the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup round-of-16 tie against Nashville, is not expected to play at Red Bull Arena at the weekend, and will miss his third match of the season.
🚨 Lionel Messi has been ruled out of Argentina's friendlies due to a hamstring injury 🇦🇷 ❌ pic.twitter.com/fu4CgKuEjU
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) March 18, 2024
Messi did some gym work on his return to training, with being ready for the first leg of Concachampions quarter-final match-up against Monterrey (3 April) the main target. Before that, Inter Miami will also face New York City FC at Chase Park on 30 March, with the 36-year-old’s participation in that fixture very much up in the air.
Inter Miami availability update before NYRB game
In addition to Messi, other members of the roster who trained separately due to muscle discomfort include striker Leonardo Campana and defender Nicolás Freire. Both are doubts for this Saturday’s game.
Head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino doesn’t have selection problems to seek ahead of the game in New York. In addition to the injured players, the former Barcelona and Mexico manager will also be without several men who have been called up for international duty.
Working for the weekend 🏃#RBNYvMIA | 3.23 | 2PM ET pic.twitter.com/tmM8IvsNHF
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) March 20, 2024
Among the players who will not be involved against NYRB are first-choice goalkeeper Drake Callender (USMNT), Diego Gómez (Paraguay), Shane Boreglin (Haiti), David Rúiz (Honduras) and Federico Redondo, who will feature for the Argentina Under-23 team against Mexico.
