Lionel Messi suffered a hamstring injury during his side’s Leagues Cup win over Club Necaxa. Messi was injured in the eighth minute of the game when he fell to a challenge by a pair of defenders near the penalty area. His team went on to win the game in penalty shootouts.
The 38-year-old Argentine walked back towards the bench before sitting down on the pitch. Trainers came out and worked on his right upper thigh area before he subbed out in the 11th minute.
Javier Mascherano, the team coach, spoke about the forward’s injury after the game. He said that Messi wasn’t necessarily in pain, but had felt a pull. He indicated Messi would be examined on Sunday to determine the severity of the injury. “There’s probably something there,” Mascherano said.
Inter Miami take on Pumas UNAM on 7th August for the Leagues Cup group stage match, meaning the next game is four days away.
Depending on the severity of the injury, Messi could either be part of the lineup or out of the squad.
For Grade 1 hamstring injuries, one might feel better in less than a week, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Given the kind of medical care star athletes like Messi have access to, if his injury is not that serious, he could well be back on his feet for the UNAM soccer match.
Grade 2 and 3 injuries take longer to heal from, likely several months. However, given that Messi could make it back to the bench on his own feet and didn’t need a stretcher or assistance in particular, indicates that the injury might not be that serious, since he was able to put some pressure on his feet.
