Inter Miami drew 3-3 with St. Petersburg Louis City on Saturday night, marking Lionel Messi’s last game for his club at least for the rest of the month. Messi will sign up for Argentina’s Copa America warm-up camp on Sunday as the world champions prepare to protect the continental trophy they won in 2021.
Former FC Barcelona teammates Messi, Luis Suárez and Jordi Alba scored Inter Miami’s goals against St. Louis Rodriguez. Alba’s two assists went to Suarez and Messi, who now have 12 goals each, 4 MLS leader Cristian Arango of Real Salt Lake. Messi leads the MLS with thirteen assists.
Messi to Jordi Alba, back to Messi for his goal of the temporada!pic. twitter. com/2ZbHNTJtf3
– Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 2, 2024
Inter Miami, which has the most productive record in MLS lately, will now have to plan for a vital era without Messi and other vital starters. In addition to Messi, Suarez and Matias Rojas are expected to be in the Copa America final for Uruguay and Paraguay, respectively. USA. U. S. Foreigner Benjamin Cremaschi has been included in the June Olympic camp team, and Diego Gomez, a Paraguayan foreigner, is also expected to compete in the Paris Games.
Advertising
There is a FIFA outdoor window (June 9 and 14) before the start of the Copa America on June 20. Messi will remain in Fort Lauderdale and train at Inter Miami’s facilities with the Argentine national team ahead of friendlies against Ecuador in Chicago and Guatemala in Landover, Maryland.
If Argentina triumphs in the Copa America final, Messi won’t return until after July 14 and could miss at least six league games. Inter Miami will play MLS matches on July 17 (vs. Toronto) and July 20 (vs. Chicago) before their first Leagues Cup match on July 27 (vs. Puebla). Inter Miami is the defending champion of the tournament.
Players returning from a foreign tournament regularly go through an era of rest and recovery, which may further prolong Messi’s absence. Inter Miami coach Tata Martino has not hesitated to rest Messi, Suarez and Sergio Busquets, who will continue the summer as Miami expects. Messi has suffered some minor injuries that have forced him to miss six games so far in 2024.
“I will insist on everything related to Leo, Jordi, Sergio and Luis,” Martino said on Saturday night. “They are what they are. (The press) has paid a lot of attention to them since they arrived. It makes sense that we expect them to have a big impact on our team. We can talk about Jordi’s performance tonight, two assists and a goal. Once Plus, it’s one thing for other teams to get by without their most productive players and it’s another thing for us to get by without our most productive players.
To date, Inter Miami have played 14 games without Messi since the Argentine captain signed for the MLS club in 2023, winning just 3 of those games. Inter Miami have added intensity to their squad, but any team with Messi in the lineup will rely heavily on the Argentine star.
Advertising
Messi is lately the favorite to win the MLS MVP award this season. He is also at the center of the Golden Boot race, facing Arango, DC United’s Christian Benteke and LAFC’s Denis Bouanga for this award. This trio will remain active in MLS while Messi will be absent with Argentina. Arango scored his 14th, 15th and 16th goals on Saturday, while Benteke has thirteen goals this year.
– Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 2, 2024
A deep run for Argentina in the Copa America may have an effect on Messi’s standing in the Golden Boot competition, but a prolonged absence from his club doesn’t deserve to hurt his chances of winning the MVP award. It will take a normal season. ouster Messi as favorite.
Inter Miami will now have to get spin without Messi and several of its other most influential players. The club’s intensity has already been tested. Players such as Julian Gressel, Robert Taylor and Leonardo Campana will have to contribute to Inter Miami’s attack, while Busquets and Alba will be called up to lead the team in Messi’s absence.
In a tight Eastern Conference, Inter Miami will have little margin for error, as the Supporters Shield protective winner, FC Cincinnati, is just one point behind Martino’s side with two games in hand.
(Photo: CHRIS ARJOON/AFP Getty Images)