(From Miami) For several weeks now, the main topic of attention within the halls of the DVN PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale has been the health of Lionel Messi, who missed five of Inter Miami’s last six games (in between he played against Toronto FC, but he was replaced 37 minutes into the first half), including the US Open Cup final against Houston Dynamo.
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In the press conference prior to tomorrow’s game against Chicago Fire as a visitor, Gerardo Tata Martino was asked again about whether La Pulga will be able to add minutes. The Argentine technical director once again opted for caution and did not provide further details. “In the case of Leo Messi, what we said in recent days. We will see the training, we will see if he is not at risk and we will evaluate whether it is convenient for him to travel or not travel,” he outlined.
“He should start training with the team. It could be today, it could be tomorrow. What happens is that tomorrow is the day of the game. Maybe today he will do the first part of the warm-up, but only for a reason to have a training according to the needs that he has today, and the rest of the team does a much lighter training depending on what “He has been training,” commented the coach before practice. And then he added: “Every time he is closer to normal training and that is why we are evaluating him on a day-to-day basis.”
It is worth noting that the captain of the Argentine team finally did not practice with the group, but he did jump onto the playing field and do some work with the ball. The coach gave details of the injury and the risk he runs: “It is the scar that is at risk of an opening and there we would be in a much more serious problem. It is in the later.”
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“Evidently if he is doing well at the club he will be doing well in the National Team. Leo’s commitment to the National Team is out of the question. And it was something that we recognized beforehand, the club recognized because now we have 12 call-ups again and it doesn’t just happen with him, it happens with the rest of the players. Everyone wants to be here and everyone wants to be in the national team. We manage an injury in this case based on our needs, if those needs also coincide with that of each one of them in the national team, welcome,” Martino said about the possible loss of the Rosario player in case he is called up by Lionel Scaloni to face the South American Qualifying matches against Paraguay (October 12, at the Monumental) and Peru (October 17, in Lima).
When asked again about the return of the 10, Tata explained: “Anything he is going to say if it is not fulfilled would be taken… Today I seem like the biggest ticket seller in the MLS. As if I had anything to do with the sale of tickets and we care about the players. With Gregore, they haven’t asked me anything for two months; once in a while, but this is every day. This occurs here due to this circumstance, and I understand it, that’s why he answered. The thing is that when it’s so repetitive I can’t help but always say the same thing. They asked me 3 days ago and only three days passed, only two training sessions. It’s repetitive because it’s about Leo and I understand it. He would tell you a month if he knew it was a month. The other day they were saying he was out of the league for the season. AND? you do not run any risk; They say a month, it’s not a month, it’s 40 days or 20 days. Nothing happens to you. I make a very serious mistake if I say something in a hurry, that’s why I avoid exact times. I understand the desire to know the exact times, if I had the exact times I would say them, but I don’t have them.”
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Injuries are a problem that has been plaguing the Herons’ squad for much of the season. During his contact with the media, the Argentine strategist confirmed that Leo Campana will rest against Chicago Fire and that he will wait for his evolution ahead of the clash against Cincinatti FC. Something similar happens with Jordi Alba, who aims to reappear in the duel against Charlotte.
“Each of them trained at the time they had to train, with the intensity they had to train to evaluate if they were in a position to play the game. I am not a person who throws players onto the field due to a football need or results, we need to have all the players healthy and we understand that we are talking about very important players, but no player who is not in a position to play is going to perform better. response than one who is healthy,” Martino remarked.
With four games left, Inter Miami still dreams of getting into the Repechage zone for the MLS Playoffs by holding 33 points, four less than DC United and five less than New York FC, the last to access this privileged place. An encouraging fact for the Herons is that both franchises only have two games on the horizon, and in one of them they will have to face each other.