Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Morales has confirmed that Lionel Messi will be sidelined for the upcoming match against New York City FC due to a right hamstring injury. However, there is optimism within the club that Messi will be fit to return for the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal clash against Liga MX side Monterrey on Wednesday.
Morales stated that Messi is currently undergoing treatment with the physiotherapists and will not be available for the game on Saturday. The team is working diligently to ensure Messi's readiness for the crucial fixture against Monterrey next week.
Messi has been absent from Inter Miami's lineup since March 13 and did not participate in Argentina's recent friendlies against Costa Rica and El Salvador. The upcoming match against NYCFC marks the first encounter between the two teams this season, with NYCFC aiming to halt a three-game losing streak on the road.
Inter Miami holds a 2-2-0 record against Eastern Conference opponents, with Luis Suárez leading the team in scoring with four goals. The club has scored a conference-leading 12 goals so far this season.
Despite being undefeated in the five games Messi played, Inter Miami has suffered two losses in the three matches without him, including a 4-0 defeat to New York Red Bulls in their recent outing.
NYCFC, who posted a 9-11-14 record last season, struggled on the road with a 1-8-8 record. The team averaged 1.0 goals on 4.4 shots on goal per game in the previous season.
Inter Miami made a recent addition to their squad by signing defender Marcelo Weigandt on loan from Boca Juniors for the remainder of the MLS season. Weigandt joins to fill the void left by DeAndre Yedlin, who was traded to FC Cincinnati earlier this month.
Furthermore, Argentina under-23 midfielder Federico Redondo, who joined Miami last month, will miss the upcoming match due to an injury to his left lateral collateral ligament. Redondo is expected to be sidelined for approximately eight weeks.
