Inter Milan secured a 2-2 draw against Nashville in the CONCACAF Champions Cup round-of-16 first leg, but Lionel Messi finished the match with a scary injury.
Messi scored a goal in the 51st minute to cut Nashville’s deficit to 2-1 before a stoppage-time goal by Luis Suarez earned Inter Miami a 2-2 draw.
But the veteran was kicked in the calf area when Nashville’s Lukas MacNaughton caught Messi’s left ankle with his studs after clearing the ball. The tackle looked scary as Messi went down screaming for minutes.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was taken to the sidelines for treatment and he was surprised when the match official didn’t caution MacNaughton after such a menacing tackle which Messi somehow escaped.
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He appeared to be fine and played the full 90 minutes plus stoppage time and was there to celebrate Luis Suarez’s winner in the 95th minute.
Speaking on Lionel Messi injury, Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said after the game:
“Leo finished the game. He’s tired. He’s fatigued. That’s why he was getting massages. But he is fine,”
Was Lionel Messi injured during the pre-season?
Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi had a few injury scares in the recent past. Before the start of the MLS season on February 21st, Messi missed a couple of friendly games as he suffered a hip adductor injury during his travel to Saudi Arabia with Inter Miami.
The Herons will now face Montreal at home on Monday night and will be a perfect match for Messi to rest. Messi has committed Argentina to play in two Copa America warmups on March 22 and 26, meaning he will miss Inter Miami matches against New York Red Bulls and New York City FC.