Lionel Messi will not be available for defending champion Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup home match against Tigres on Saturday. While the 37-year-old Argentine striker is showing improvement from the right ankle ligament injury he suffered in last month’s Copa America final, he has not yet rejoined his teammates in training.
Coach Gerardo Martino confirmed that Messi is making progress and has even shed the walking boot he was previously wearing. However, he is currently working with trainers to fully recover from the injury. Despite Messi’s absence, Inter Miami has enjoyed success, securing seven wins out of eight matches in the past two months. Notably, Messi’s arrival last year sparked a resurgence for the MLS team, culminating in a Leagues Cup trophy win.
The Leagues Cup is a tournament featuring teams from Major League Soccer (MLS) and Mexico’s Liga MX, with a World Cup-style format. Teams are divided into groups of three, with the top two from each group advancing to the knockout rounds. Miami and Tigres have already secured their places in the 32-club knockout round, with only seeding on the line in Saturday’s match.
