Lionel Messi trained normally this Friday, August 30, with the rest of the Inter Miami players, in the practice prior to the match this Saturday, August 31 (8:30 p.m., TV: Apple TV) against the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field, in the Windy City.
Messi was even seen having fun in a rondo with his former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez, and Jordi Alba although in the final stretch of the training session, he was seen touching his ankle, before immediately finishing the practice alone.
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Coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino told reporters on Friday that Messi is not completely ruled out of playing against the Fire, but he will most likely not be called up and will return on September 14 at home against Philadelphia.
“Leo is getting better and better, he still hasn’t been cleared by the doctor, but we will determine today whether or not he can travel to Chicago tomorrow,” said Martino. “He started training with the ball several weeks ago, obviously first with the medical team and physical trainers. Then he joined the group for some work periods and we are in the process of evaluating that.”
Inter, whose players went into training wearing shirts with the logo of their new sponsor Polkadot, are not taking any risks and there is no reason to force their return against the Fire, even though nothing has been officially said.
“We talk a lot with him about how he is feeling. He has had an injury for more than six weeks and he needs to be calm and safe and we will decide then,” Tata said.
However, whether Messi plays or not, and despite already having qualified for the playoffs, Inter will go out to win the eight games left. Martino believes that winning the Supporters Shield could qualify the Miami team for the Club World Cup next summer in the United States.
Inter (17-5-4) leads the East (1st) with 56 points, while Fire (6-8-12) is at the bottom of the conference (13th) with 26 points.
The Miami team is coming off a 2-0 victory over second-place FC Cincinnati with 48 points last Saturday at Chase Stadium, becoming the third-fastest team to secure a playoff spot.
Center forward Luis Suarez broke two Club records with his brace. His first goal was the fastest in team history and with his second he set a record for most goals in a single season in all competitions, reaching 14 in MLS.
Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Drake Callender were named in the Matchday 11 for week 29 of the season.
But Chicago is no slouch, having already beaten Cincinnati 1-0 away, and Miami recently struggled to beat them 2-1 at home on July 20. They now come into this match after a 2-2 draw against New York City.
Miami and Chicago will face each other for the eighth time, with a record of two wins, one draw, and four losses for the pink and black eleven.
Martino is expected to field his star-studded team without Messi (injured) and Tomas Aviles (suspended), with Drake Callender, Marcelo Weigandt, Hector Martinez, Sergio Busquets, Federico Redondo, Jordi Alba, Yannick Bright, Matias Rojas, Luis Suarez, Julian Gressel, and Mario Gomez.
