Sawt Falasteen - Messi ruled out of Miami's Leagues Cup quarter-final v Tigres

NYSE - LSE
CMSC 0.6% 21.228 $
RYCEF 0.93% 20.44 $
BCC -0.28% 82.24 $
GSK -1.22% 51.78 $
RBGPF 3.61% 71.13 $
VOD 0.13% 15.98 $
RIO -0.48% 104.8 $
BCE 0.59% 23.85 $
RELX 1.32% 36.39 $
NGG 0.82% 80.42 $
AZN 0.44% 166.71 $
CMSD 0.38% 21.06 $
JRI -0.08% 12.37 $
BTI 0.88% 56.71 $
BP -2.33% 43.74 $
Messi ruled out of Miami's Leagues Cup quarter-final v Tigres
Messi ruled out of Miami's Leagues Cup quarter-final v Tigres / Photo: Chandan Khanna - AFP

Messi ruled out of Miami's Leagues Cup quarter-final v Tigres

Lionel Messi was ruled out of Inter Miami's Leagues Cup quarter-final against Tigres UANL on Wednesday, a day after coach Javier Mascherano revealed the Argentine superstar was still struggling with injury.

Text size:

Messi, who has battled a "minor" muscle injury since a Leagues Cup group match against Necaxa on August 2, had returned to Miami's lineup Saturday after a two-week absence, scoring a goal after coming on as a substitute in a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy.

However the 38-year-old World Cup winner looked to be in physical discomfort during his second-half appearance, and he was not in the lineup announced before the clash in the cross-border club competition for teams from Major League Soccer and Mexico's Liga-MX.

Messi's absence is a blow to Miami's hopes of regaining the Leagues Cup title they won in 2023 during the Argentine icon's fairytale first season in Major League Soccer.

Mascherano predicted a stiff test against Tigres, the eight-time Mexican champions, describing them as "a team with a lot of offensive power."

Miami's game with Tigres was one of four Leagues Cup quarter-finals set for Wednesday.

Mexico's Toluca face Orlando City before Los Angeles Galaxy host Pachuca, while the Seattle Sounders take on Puebla at home.

B.Khalifa--SF-PST