Lionel Messi missed the match between Inter Miami and Jamaican Cavaliers in the CONCACAF Champions League on Friday morning, raising concerns about his physical condition.
According to Inter Miami, Messi’s absence was due to muscle overload, the same reason he missed the match against Houston Dynamo in the American League last week.
According to American media, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano decided to give Messi very special treatment due to his age.
Mascherano and the Inter Miami management do not want a repeat of last season’s scenario, when Messi missed many matches due to injuries, so there is no intention to risk him at all.
Although the match against Cavaliers was important as it was in the round of 16 of the continental tournament, Mascherano did not mind excluding his compatriot and taking the risk instead of losing him for a long time.
Inter Miami won 2-0, and after the match Mascherano came out to say that his team should get used to playing without Lionel Messi.
Mascherano’s way of dealing with Messi seems very similar to Stefano Pioli and Cristiano Ronaldo’s way of dealing with Al-Nasr, as the Don and the Flea are getting older, they should be rested as much as possible.
