Prior to Inter Miami vs. Vissel Kobe, Lionel Messi provided an update on his injuries.
Particularly, the Argentine superstar’s adductor irritation prevented him from participating in Inter Miami CF’s 4-1 victory over the Hong Kong club last weekend. Even if the sold-out Hong Kong Stadium audience was upset, Messi believed it was the right move.
It’s a football-related incident, regrettably. Before Inter Miami’s Wednesday (5 a.m. ET) visit to the defending J1 League champions, Vissel Kobe, Messi gave an explanation of how injuries might occur in any game.
“That was my experience, and I was unable to participate in the game in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, I always want to be involved and present, especially for games like this where we’ve traveled a great distance and the crowd has been eager to watch us compete.
“I hope to be here again, as I am whenever I can, and that we can play another game in Hong Kong.” It’s unfortunate that I was unable to take part, though.
The Riyadh Season Cup opener for Inter Miami, a 4-3 loss against Al-Hilal, the top team in the Saudi Pro League, is where Messi claimed the source of his adductor pain. He was substituted late against Al Nassr a few days after leaving the match during the second half. The club’s medical team was consulted before choices were made at an open training session held in Hong Kong.
I used the minutes I spent playing in the second [Saudi] match to test my body and gauge how I felt since, although an MRI revealed no injuries, I did have swelling in my adductor. Hence, I made an effort,” Messi remarked.
“After that, we traveled to Hong Kong, where we participated in an open training. I attended because I wanted to be there and also because of the large crowd and the presence of a pediatric clinic. Yet, the truth is that I still felt uncomfortable, which made it really challenging for me to play.”
The legendary No. 10 is now unclear about his role at the Japan National Stadium as the final foreign leg of Inter Miami’s global preseason tour approaches.
“I have very good sensations in comparison to the past few days, and depending on how it goes [at training], I will see if I play,” Messi told reporters. “If I’m honest, I still don’t know if I will be able to or not, but I feel much better, and I really want to be able to play.”
Feb. 15 at home at DRV PNK Stadium versus Newell’s Old Boys (7:30 p.m. ET | MLS Season Pass) is the team’s last preseason matchup before Inter Miami takes on Vissel Kobe. Messi’s boyhood club prior to his illustrious career unfolding at FC Barcelona was, of course, the Argentine top division team.
When the games matter most, however, they seem to be the goat’s main priorities. The genuine Salt Lake matchup kicks off at DRV PNK Stadium on February 21 (8 p.m. ET | MLS Season Pass). Excitement grows about what the reigning League Cup champions can do in 2024 when former Barcelona colleagues Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba join them.
“For us, the important thing is the match on Feb. 21, which is when the league season starts, where we’ll be playing for points,” Messi explained.
“We have been on a tour with many matches in a row, many trips, and many time zone changes, and we will try to prepare ourselves in the best way to face this match, to continue growing, and, as I said before, regardless of the result, to continue getting positive things for what is coming our way.”