Miami: Inter Miami fans can breathe a sigh of relief, as Lionel Messi is likely to return when the team undertakes La Galaxy in a major league football -co -clash that will launch a key feature of the Florida club, coach Javier Mascherano said Friday.
After sitting out with a minor muscle injury, the Argentine star is back in exercise and seems to be going back on the field. Supporters will keep their fingers crossed in the hope that he will give the team a much needed boost in this important clash.
After Saturday’s Galaxy match, Miami plays the Mexican club Tigres Uanl on Wednesday in the League Cup quarterfinals.
“Leo is doing well,” Mascherano told journalists on Friday before training. “He has been training with the team since Wednesday. Unless something strange happens during today’s training, we think he will be available for tomorrow’s game.”
Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi suffered a “minor muscle injury”, apparently a hamstring tribe, in the 11th minute of Inter’s August 2nd League Cup match against Necaxa.
The 38-year-old Argentine superstar returns when Hegre struggles to jump back from a humiliating 4-1 loss to Orlando City last weekend.
Inter has gone to sixth at MLS Eastern Conference with 42 points – nine behind leaders Philadelphia but with three games in hand.
Messi, the reigning ML’s most valuable player, leads the Golden Boot Race with 18 goals and nine assists in 18 games.
Miami will be preferred at home against Galaxy, the defending MLS Cup masters, but has sunk to last place with the league’s worst record.
However, the galaxy qualified for the League Cup quarterfinals, and Mascherano warned that Miami can’t afford to take them easily.
“For me, they are a team where the MLS position does not reflect their quality, especially the quality of their players,” Mascherano said.
“The reality is that they may not start the season well because of injuries and different situations. But they have improved a lot in the last few months.”
