Miami coach Gerardo Martino announced on Friday that Lionel Messi will not play for Inter Miami when the defending Leagues Cup champions kick off their rematch against Puebla at home on Saturday.
The 37-year-old Argentine striker was injured in his right ankle during his country’s Copa America final victory against Colombia this month.
Messi was absent from two MLS games last week as well as the MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday against the Liga MX All-Stars of Mexico.
As he works with club trainers, Messi is still wearing a walking boot, but the Miami coach claimed that Messi’s ankle is getting better and better.
Messi joined Inter Miami last year and helped the team win the Leagues Cup, an inaugural competition that pits MLS and Mexican clubs against each other in a format akin to the World Cup.
In the first round, there are fifteen three-team groups; two from each group, along with the MLS Columbus Crew and Club America, the defending league winners, move on to the knockout stages.
On Friday, this year’s inaugural games took place. Host Orlando triumphed 4-1 against Montreal, DC United prevailed 6-5 on penalties following a 3-3 draw at Atlanta, and 10-man host Austin defeated Mexico’s Pumas 3-2.
Dagur Thorhallsson, an Icelandic midfielder, Facundo Torres of Uruguay, and Ramiro Enrique, an Argentine striker, gave Orlando a 3-0 lead at the half. Martin Ojeda of Argentina added another goal in the 57th minute, and Josef Martinez of Montreal, a Venezuelan midfielder, saved a shutout in the 69th.
After Osman Bukari was sent off in the 34th minute, with Austin leading 1-0 thanks to an eighth-minute goal by Alexander Ring, the Texas team held on to win despite a penalty attempt by Pumas attacker Guillermo Martinez in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time. Austin goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland made the save.
The exciting conclusion was set up by goals from Ali Avila and Martinez for Pumas, and goals from Gyasi Zardes and Sebastian Driussi for Austin.
Due to concerns about the state of the field in Washington, DC United’s home game versus Santos Laguna slated for next Wednesday at Audi Field has been shifted to Subaru Park, the home stadium of the Philadelphia Union, in Chester, Pennsylvania.
