Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami team suffered a disappointing exit from the Major League Soccer playoffs following a 1-0 defeat at their home ground against FC Cincinnati on Saturday.
Messi, who had been recovering from an injury, returned to the pitch as a substitute in the 55th minute but his presence made minimal impact with his two free-kick attempts missing the target.
Miami’s head coach, Gerardo Martino, commented on Messi’s performance, stating, “The injury is not an issue; however, it was expected that his performance might be affected because he has had limited playing time recently. I could tell that he was in need of more game time.”
Compounded by other unfavourable results, Messi’s side found themselves positioned near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, trailing the last playoff spot by seven points with only two games remaining in the season.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner had seen limited playing time for his club, with only 37 minutes of action since September 3, following an injury he sustained while on international duty with Argentina last month.
In Messi’s absence, Miami faced difficulties, particularly after their successful campaign that led to winning the Leagues Cup title in August, where Messi showcased his brilliance and secured his first trophy since joining the club in July.
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Saturday’s defeat marked the team’s second consecutive loss, following their 4-1 defeat in Chicago earlier in the week. Martino’s team has managed to secure just one victory in their last six MLS matches.
After their victory in the Leagues Cup on August 19, there were hopes of Miami clinching two more trophies in the season. However, without Messi, they fell short in the US Open Cup final against Houston and gradually slipped out of contention in the league.
Miami’s remaining two matches are both against Charlotte, with the last one scheduled to be an away game on October 21. Whether Messi will feature in these matches remains uncertain.
