Inter Miami Star Lionel Messi to Miss Game Against Atlanta United
Inter Miami star Lionel Messi will not be playing in the team’s road game against Atlanta United on Saturday, according to multiple reports. ESPN first reported the news, leaving fans disappointed and curious about the reasons behind Messi’s absence.
Reasons for Messi’s Absence
Messi recently played 88 minutes in Argentina’s World Cup qualifying match against Ecuador on September 7. Although he traveled with the national team for their next game against Bolivia, he was not named to the roster for the high-altitude contest. This decision was likely made to give Messi some rest and prevent any potential injuries.
Miami coach Tata Martino commented on Messi’s condition, stating that he was “fine” on Friday. However, the final decision about Messi’s availability for the Atlanta match would be made after the end of training. Martino emphasized the importance of being careful with Messi due to the team’s upcoming important games in a short span.
MLS Awareness and Playoff Hopes
A league official confirmed that MLS was aware of Messi’s absence for the game against Atlanta. Inter Miami currently sits six points out of an Eastern Conference playoff spot with only eight games left in the regular season. Every game is crucial for the team’s playoff hopes, and missing a player of Messi’s caliber could impact their chances.
Backstory: Messi’s National Team Commitments
Last month, Martino announced that Inter Miami would be without Messi for “at least” three games this season while he plays for the national team. This absence was expected, and Messi already missed Miami’s game last weekend against Sporting KC, which they won 3-2.
The Intrigue of Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium
The Atlanta matchup is anticipated to draw a sellout crowd of 72,000 fans. Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium is one of six venues in Major League Soccer with artificial turf, which adds to the intrigue surrounding Messi’s absence. Many aging stars who have joined MLS from Europe have avoided playing on artificial surfaces due to concerns about injuries. However, Messi stated in August that playing on turf in his new league wouldn’t be an issue for him, as he had spent his youth playing on artificial turf.
Martino’s Confidence in Atlanta’s Turf
Martino, who previously coached Atlanta from 2016 to 2018, expressed no concerns about his team playing on the artificial surface. He stated that his experience with Atlanta’s turf has always been positive, dismissing any potential issues that may arise from playing on the turf.
Conclusion
Lionel Messi’s absence from Inter Miami’s game against Atlanta United is a significant blow to the team. Fans will have to wait for further updates on Messi’s availability for future games. Meanwhile, Inter Miami must find a way to secure crucial points in their remaining games to keep their playoff hopes alive. The matchup against Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium adds an extra layer of intrigue, with the sellout crowd eagerly awaiting the outcome of the game.