Miami coach Tata Martino confirms Messi has an 'overload'

Gerardo 'Tata' Martino said on Wednesday that Lionel Messi is suffering from an "overload in his right hamstring" and that he substituted him in the 3-1 win over Nashville in the last 16 of the CONCACAF Champions League in order not to take any risks. "He has an overload in his right hamstring, so we didn't want to take any risks. We tried to see if he could hold on a bit longer, but it was bothering him and so we preferred to take him out of the game," Martino said at the post-match press conference at Chase Stadium.

Leo Messi and Uruguay's Luis Suarez each had a goal and an assist in Inter Miami's 3-1 win over Nashville that gave Martino's men a ticket to the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Tata reported that he does not know the extent of Messi's injury, but expects the Argentine to be out against DC United.

"I don't want to take any risks, but I imagine he won't be available for Saturday's game. That's the only thing I can say in terms of what's to come. Then he will do some imaging and we will see how he evolves," he said. "It's not about replacing a player, it's about replacing the best player of all," he added.

Messi is expected to be back with the Argentina national team for the next FIFA matchday after the MLS weekend. "Monterrey, Tigres and America are the most powerful teams in Mexico and the ones that usually win the leagues and we, the two Monterrey teams, we have them in our key. Monterrey have very good national players and international players. We will analyse our opponents," Martino said of their next opponents.

"We have to keep in mind whether we are going to finish in Monterrey or finish here at home. Now, there is no room to think about the future CONCACAF opponents, but we have to play in two days," he added, referring to the clash with DC United. Martino dedicated some heartfelt praise to Argentinian Federico Redondo and Spaniard Sergio Busquets, who, he said, seem to have been playing together for many years despite only playing a handful of games for the pink-clad club.

 

March 14, 2024