28 September 2023 , 16:21
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Gerardo "Tata" Martino confirmed that Lionel Messi should be able to play again this season amid concerns over the forward's fitness after he missed the US Open Cup final.
The Herons slumped to a listless 2-1 defeat in the showpiece versus Houston Dynamo after their recent fixture congestion seemingly caught up with them. The absence of their talisman Messi for the fourth time in five matches will also trouble supporters ahead of the regular season run-in.
In truth, his teammates struggled without their captain, with the loss of fellow key man Jordi Alba during their clash with Toronto also proving costly. Now, head coach Martino has explained his reasoning for deciding to leave Messi out for the US Open Cup decider.
Speaking following the loss, he said: "It was not prudent for him to play. Too risky, even for a few minutes. He will play in league games going forward, but will go game by game based on what the medical team tells us."
Their opponents in the Cup final went two goals up in the first half through Griffin Dorsey and Amine Bassi, with Miami unable to rouse themselves after the break. Vice City would score a consolation strike via Josef Martinez late into injury time but a comeback evaded the eventual runners-up.
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Alongside their MLS commitments, the team has reached two cup finals this season and Martino contends that his players are feeling the effects of a long campaign.
The Herons boss is convinced that Miami may have struggled if their latest final had gone into extra time, adding: "I saw a worn team, the consequence of so many matches.
Lionel Messi suffered an injury and was forced to leave the field during Miami's 4-0 win over Toronto last week (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)"If this match went into extra time, the match Inter Miami has on Saturday would have to be played by the technical staff. At some point, we were going to see the consequences of so many games. We began to feel them on the side of the injuries and on the performance side."
His words seem to mirror those of LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo, who has also complained about the impact of fixture congestion lately. His team lost in the Campeones Cup against Mexican outfit Tigres after also fighting on multiple fronts so far this term.
Cherundolo asserted: "Throughout all the competitions we’ve been in this year, for any teams that are going to this next year, I can tell you the rules and regulations of MLS roster are not ample enough and we are not equipped enough for all these competitions."
Following their US Open Cup final loss, Inter Miami plays New York City in an effective six-pointer, with both teams desperately chasing a playoff berth. With five games left of the regular season, Messi and Co. sit five points off their next opponents, with two games in hand.