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Inter Miami’s star player, Lionel Messi, is unlikely to feature in the starting lineup for their upcoming Major League Soccer (MLS) match against FC Dallas. Messi’s potential absence comes after he missed the team's recent training session, leaving fans and analysts wondering about his fitness ahead of the crucial match.
Inter Miami’s struggles after Concacaf Champions Cup loss
Inter Miami is recovering from a tough 2-0 defeat to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup, and the team is now focused on their next challenge in the MLS.
The quick turnaround between games has raised concerns about player fatigue, with coach Javier Mascherano suggesting there may be changes to the starting XI for the game against FC Dallas.
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in doubt for MLS game
Reports indicate that both Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez might not start in the match against FC Dallas, following their absence from the initial 15 minutes of the training session that was open to the media.
In addition to Messi and Suarez, goalkeeper Oscar Ustari was also missing, while midfielder Sergio Busquets was seen training separately from the main group.
Javier Mascherano comments on short recovery period
Head coach Javier Mascherano expressed frustration over the tight schedule, especially considering the short recovery time between the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal and the MLS match.
One thing is to play every three days. Most of our players are used to it, another thing is to play with less than 72 hours. We finished playing on Thursday at midnight in Miami and we’re on to play Sunday at 5 pm, he remarked.
Mascherano also pointed out the challenges of such a condensed schedule, especially after a lengthy flight.
It’s not even 72 hours, with a trip of 6 hours. Clearly, it’s not the same situation as against Toronto because we had played against LAFC on a Wednesday. We had more time on the recovery. I think it was Wednesday, Sunday, Wednesday. So, yes, we’ll see, he explained.
Lionel Messi’s fatigue after synthetic field play
Regarding Messi’s condition, Mascherano revealed that the player felt fatigued after the Concacaf Champions Cup match, particularly due to the synthetic pitch.
Messi ended the game well. Obviously he was fatigued, playing on synthetic grass can make a player even more fatigued due to the floor. But he finished the game well, the coach said.
As Inter Miami prepares for their match against FC Dallas, all eyes will be on whether Messi, Suarez, and other key players can recover in time to make an impact on the field.
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