Lionel Messi’s night ended abruptly after just 11 minutes on the pitch during Inter Miami’s dramatic Leagues Cup clash against Mexico’s Necaxa on Saturday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
The 38-year-old Argentine icon appeared to tweak his upper right leg or groin during a solo run before eventually sitting on the turf in discomfort.
Although he walked off without assistance, concerns were immediate.
Messi had first collided with Necaxa defender Alexis Peña after dribbling into the final third, tumbling to the ground and slapping the grass in visible frustration.
Shortly after, while positioned alone on the left flank, Messi sat down and lay back as medical staff rushed to assess him. Coach Javier Mascherano promptly subbed him out, sending in Federico Redondo.
Following the tense 2-2 draw, which Miami ultimately won 5-4 in a penalty shootout, Mascherano gave a cautious update, “He felt some discomfort. We won’t know the extent until tomorrow. It didn’t seem very painful, but he did feel a pull, so we’ll evaluate.”
Despite Messi’s early exit, Inter Miami delivered late drama and resilience. Venezuelan midfielder Telasco Segovia opened scoring in the 12th minute, but Miami was soon reduced to 10 men when Uruguayan defender Maximiliano Falcon received a red card in the 17th.
Necaxa equalized through Argentine striker Tomás Badaloni in the 33rd minute, and both teams played with a man down after Cristian Calderón of Necaxa saw red in the 60th.
Substitute Ricardo Monreal gave the visitors a shock lead in the 81st minute, but veteran Spaniard Jordi Alba responded in the second minute of added time to force penalties.
In the shootout, Rodrigo De Paul, Ben Cremaschi, Alba, Redondo, and Luis Suárez converted for Miami, with Suárez netting the clincher. Badaloni’s miss in the third round proved decisive.
Messi’s fitness remains under scrutiny, especially considering his prior thigh strain issues during World Cup qualifiers in March. Still, his impact in this tournament has already been felt, he notched two assists in Miami’s 2-1 opening win over Atlas.
Inter Miami, defending champions of the Leagues Cup, will round out group play against Mexico’s Pumas on Wednesday, though Messi’s availability hangs in the balance.