Featured Image Credit: X/@FOXSoccer
Topics: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami, MLS
Jack Kenmare
Lionel Messi was incredibly fortunate to escape a serious injury in the first leg of Inter Miami's CONCACAF Champions Cup last-16 clash against Nashville.
The 36-year-old Argentine forward found the back of the net on Thursday as a stoppage time goal from Luis Suarez earned the visitors a 2-2 draw in Tennessee.
It was an entertaining game at Geodis Park but an incident involving Messi and Nashville defender Lukas MacNaughton in the second-half almost overshadowed proceedings.
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As you can see from the footage below, MacNaughton caught the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner with a nasty studs-up challenge that sparked concerns amongst fans and players.
FOX Sports, who posted the footage on their social media channels, said he was "shaken up" after the challenge but, after slapping the floor in agony, he managed to get back on his feet.
Messi went on to receive treatment from medical staff and completed the game.
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Inter Miami manager Gerardo Martino, who recently expressed his concern about the "wear and tear" Messi has suffered of late, provided an update in his full-time interview.
“Leo finished the game well, tired, with fatigue in the later stages, something logical, but he's fine," Martino said.
As mentioned above, however, the Herons manager has previously opened up on Messi's fitness levels.
"What worries me most today is the day-to-day life and how he is recovering game by game," he told reporters last week.
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"I feel that in these first two games we have resorted to him in each game in an exaggerated way and that it has caused him significant wear and tear."
He added: "Precisely the match against Orlando in the Leagues Cup was a match where he found the ball many times in the final quarter of the field. In fact, at the time of finishing the plays, he almost scored a goal in the six-yard box.
"And that is what we have to look for in him, that the team finds him to make plays, but sometimes they find him to finish those plays. I feel that he has had too much wear and tear in these two games, and That is also my responsibility to make the team work in such a way that we can use it in a diverse way."