Fans have expressed concern for Lionel Messi after coming across a troubling video clip of the 36-year-old while he was on the bench.
Messi was substituted in the 37th minute of Inter Miami’s MLS match against Toronto FC on Thursday due to an injury, which was a worrying sight for supporters.
Thankfully, Messi’s teammates managed to secure a 4-0 victory without him, with Robert Taylor, who replaced the seven-time Ballon D’Or winner, scoring twice, and Facundo Frias and Benjamin Cremaschi also finding the net.
During his time on the bench, Messi could be seen tilting his head back in his chair, displaying signs of frustration or discomfort. This behavior has left fans concerned about the extent of his injury.
🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 pic.twitter.com/JZv8C5Qe35
— Messi World (@M10GOAT) September 21, 2023
Lionel Messi’s appearance in the match against Toronto FC marked his first game since he requested to be substituted in the 89th minute of Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Ecuador. He had scored a late free-kick in that game, but manager Lionel Scaloni confirmed that Messi had “felt something” after the match.
In addition to Messi, Jordi Alba was also forced to leave the field for Inter Miami just two minutes earlier. Both players are expected to miss Sunday’s game against Orlando, likely due to their respective injuries.
In the 37th minute of the game between Inter Miami and Toronto, Lionel Messi subbed off due to a possible injury. 🥲
Hope it’s not very serious and he gets well soon. 🙏⚽#Messi #InterMiamiCF #MIAvTOR #MLS #Matchday #football #TrendingNow pic.twitter.com/UxmkWG4njM— SportsTattoo Media (@thesportstattoo) September 21, 2023
Providing an update on the pair, Inter Miami boss Tata Martino explained: “They trained normally and we felt like they were ready to play. I don’t believe it’s anything new or anything worse than what they had. It’s fatigue,” Martino said.
“I don’t think it’s a muscular injury. There is no chance for them to play the Orlando match, but I do not think it’s anything serious or muscle injuries.”
The 60-year-old added that Messi would be assessed between now and next Wednesday’s US Open Cup final against Houston Dynamo.