Inter Miami have a major boost prior to the MLS gameweek this weekend against SC Nashville as their megastar Lionel Messi returns from injury. However, Gerardo Martino lost two players with Jordi Alba and Serghiy Kryvtsov joining the injury list for the Herons.
Leonardo Campana and Robert Taylor will also miss the Naschville clash as both players trained separately from the first squad. Campana and Taylor will be out until 27th February against the New England Revolution.
Gerardo Martino reveals plans for Lionel Messi
However, Martino revealed his plans for Lionel Messi and will not rush him to back his feet on the ground, saying that he is carefully examining the condition. “There’s nothing special right now with Messi,” Martino said via ESPN. “We will be playing games on the weekends for the next few weeks, we just have one midweek game against Orlando City.
“We will evaluate those moments once the schedule begins to compress, but I don’t think we need to analyze a special plan [for Messi] because he feels good. He’s working well on a day-to-day basis, and at the pace we are going we will remain in the same way.
“Now, with Jordi and Redondo’s injuries, we have one more month until all players are available. But then Copa América and the Olympics come and we will have absences.”
The Nashville game will be the third clash for Miami this season. The two previous matchups were the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter final, winning 5-3 on aggregate. The game ended in a draw 2-2 in the first leg but Miami ended up winning 3-1 the second time they met.
Overall, Miami and Nashville have met 13 times, equalling the record with winning four games each while the rest ended up with a draw. Last year, David Beckham-owned club beat Nashville in the 2023 League Cup final, claiming the club’s first ever silverware.
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