Inter Miami announced on Monday that Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez will not participate in Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game against their Liga MX counterparts due to fitness issues, as both players recover from deep runs in the Copa America with Argentina and Uruguay respectively.
“Leo Messi will miss the All-Star Game due to an ankle injury, while Luis Suarez, who recently returned from international duty after more than 40 days away from the club, will miss the All-Star Game due to knee problems,” Inter Miami said. said in a statement. “Their availability for Saturday’s League Cup match will be assessed based on their daily recovery process.”
Messi’s inability to participate in his first MLS All-Star Game comes as no surprise after he exited the Copa America final on July 14 after injuring his ankle. He fell to the ground in the 66th minute with a non-contact injury and immediately indicated that he needed to be substituted, watching the rest of the match from the bench with a very swollen ankle. Argentina then defeated Colombia 1–0 thanks to a Lautaro Martinez goal in extra time, allowing the team to win a record 16th Copa America title.
Not long after the final, Inter Miami said Messi would not participate in their matches last week, a 3-1 win over Toronto FC on Wednesday and a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Fire on Saturday. The 37-year-old was in the crowd at Chase Stadium for Miami’s win over Toronto, but wore a proactive boot that day. Miami head coach Gerardo Martino said Messi will be assessed on a week-by-week basis.
Suarez, meanwhile, played 29 minutes against Toronto on Wednesday, four days after winning third place with Uruguay, and then started against the Fire and played all 90 minutes. His withdrawal from the MLS All-Star roster appears to be more of a preventative measure ahead of their Leagues Cup match against Pubela on Saturday. Miami enters the Leagues Cup as reigning champions after Messi’s bright start in the MLS.
The MLS All Stars will take on their Liga MX peers first in a skills challenge on Tuesday before the actual All-Star Game takes place on Wednesday. The centerpiece goes to Columbus’ Lower.com Field, home of the reigning MLS Cup winners, the Columbus Crew.
