Inter Miami announced Monday that Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez will not take part in the MLS All-Star Game against their Liga MX counterparts on Wednesday with fitness issues as both players recover from deep runs at the Copa America with Argentina and Uruguay, respectively.
“Leo Messi will miss the All-Star Game due to an ankle injury, while Luis Suarez, who recently returned from international duty after over 40 days away from the club, will miss the All-Star Game due to knee discomfort,” Inter Miami said in a statement. “Their availability for Saturday’s League’s Cup match will be assessed based on their daily recovery process.”
Messi’s inability to take part in his first MLS All-Star Game comes as little surprise after exiting the Copa America final on July 14 after injuring his ankle. He fell to the ground with a non-contact injury in the 66th minute and immediately signaled he needed to be substituted, watching the rest of the game from the bench with a very swollen ankle. Argentina went on to beat Colombia 1-0 thanks to a goal from Lautaro Martinez in extra time, allowing the team to win a record 16th Copa America title.
Not long after the final, Inter Miami said Messi would not take part in their matches last week, a 3-1 win over Toronto FC on Wednesday and a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Fire on Saturday. The 37-year-old was in the crowd at Chase Stadium for Miami’s win over Toronto, but was sporting a proactive boot that day. Miami head coach Gerardo Martino said Messi would be assessed on a week-to-week basis.
Suarez, meanwhile, played 29 minutes against Toronto on Wednesday, four days after winning third place with Uruguay and then went on to start against and play all 90 minutes against the Fire. His withdrawal from the MLS All-Star squad seems more like a preventative measure ahead of their Leagues Cup match against Pubela on Saturday. Miami enters the Leagues Cup as the reigning champions after Messi’s bright start to life in MLS.
The MLS-All Stars will take on their Liga MX equals first in a skills challenge on Tuesday before the actual All-Star Game takes place on Wednesday. The showpiece heads to Columbus’ Lower.com Field, home of the reigning MLS Cup winners, the Columbus Crew.
KVSP