Lionel Messi was unable to continue playing for Inter Miami against Toronto FC and left the field before halftime due to an unspecified injury on Wednesday. Messi was replaced by Robert Taylor in the 37th minute with the score tied at 0-0.
Lionel Messi has been subbed off in the 37th minute ?
Hope he can have a good rest and come back stronger#Messi? #InterMiamiCF
— Football Pictures That Go Wild (@footypicswild) September 21, 2023
Despite missing their best player, Miami cruised to a 4-0 win, but head coach Tata Martino said they would evaluate the injuries to Messi and Alba, who also left early, in the coming days but added they would definitely miss Sunday’s game against Orlando City and were in doubt for the Cup final next Wednesday against Houston Dynamo.
“There is no chance they will be there on Sunday. I know we have a final to play but they won’t go near the pitch if they can’t play,” said Martino. “The scans Messi had with the national team, they didn’t show any injury. We still saved him to be safe,” he added.
“We don’t think he has a muscular injury. That’s also from a conversation I just had with him. But we have to continue being careful. And we’ll look at it the next few days.”