Lionel Messi dressed in street clothes and watched from a VIP box as Montreal took advantage of several defensive mistakes by Inter Miami to hand his team its first loss of the season on Sunday night.
Messi did not play after previously being listed as questionable with a shin injury, and Montreal took advantage to claim a 3-2 victory, with a stunning long-range shot from Jordi Alba not being enough for Miami to gain anything. of the game.
Messi’s injury occurred in the 2-2 draw at Nashville in the CONCACAF Champions Cup last week. The Argentine World Cup winner went to contest a pass from Nashville’s Lukas Macnaughton, who appeared to step on the 36-year-old’s calf, causing him to sprain his left ankle. Trainers tended to Messi as he writhed in pain on the field in the 77th minute, but he remained in the game.
Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Morales said Messi left the game with a bruise.
It makes sense to rest the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner: Inter Miami will play two more games over the next six days. There are four games in a period of ten days.
Lionel Messi sits with his wife Antonela to watch his team Inter Miami lose to Montreal
Messi was accompanied by his wife and children in a VIP box next to the Chase Stadium field.
Messi chats with his son during the MLS game, but on the field his teammates missed his talent
And Messi was called up to represent the Argentine national team in a pair of Copa América warm-up matches on March 22 and 26, which could potentially mean six games in 20 days for the veteran who had played in all four of Inter’s games. Miami in the 2024 season.
Leonarda Campana scored Miami’s tying goal in the 71st minute on Sunday after Montreal took a 1-0 lead early in the first half on a Fernando Alvarez header.
Following a cross from Lawson Sunderland, Campana brought life to the crowd at Chase Stadium when he sent a header into the bottom left corner of the net.
Jordi Alba celebrates after scoring a great goal to reduce Inter Miami’s deficit
Montreal forward Sunusi Ibrahim celebrates after scoring against Inter Miami on Sunday
Montreal handed Inter Miami its first loss of the 2024 MLS season on Sunday afternoon.
But in a game that was one of Inter Miami’s sloppiest of the season, Montreal took a two-goal lead with scores from Matías Cóccaro and Sunusi Ibrahim in less than five minutes.
It was Inter Miami’s first loss of the young season, despite having opportunities down the stretch. Jordi Alba sent a left footed shot from outside the area to the upper left corner to make it 3-2.
Inter Miami will face Nashville again on Wednesday in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup round of 16.
