Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to their first trophy in club history this summer. But if they want to capture a second, they’ll need to do it without him. The Argentine icon was not included in the squad for Wednesday night’s U.S. Open Cup final against the Houston Dynamo as he continues to recover from a lingering muscle issue. Messi hasn’t played since leaving last week’s 4-0 win over Toronto FC in the first half. He didn’t travel with the team for Sunday’s draw with Orlando City. Teammate Jordi Alba, who also departed the contest against TFC in the opening stanza, joined Messi on the sidelines for Wednesday’s clash.
Martino said during Tuesday’s pre-match press conference that the team would have a different approach if there wasn’t a trophy on the line against the Dynamo. “If it wasn’t a final, we wouldn’t take any risk, but because it is a final, there is a chance we take that risk,” Martino admitted. Ultimately, the risk was too great – especially with the club still pushing for a playoff spot in Major League Soccer.
Martino and Inter Miami are trying to manage Messi’s workload ahead of another congested set of matches. With the postseason in sight, Miami plays three league games in quick succession following Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup final, including a critical battle with New York City FC on Saturday. Inter Miami sit just five points behind NYCFC for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They also have two games in-hand. Miami has just one loss in 15 matches across all competitions since Messi joined the club in the summer. That was against Atlanta, with the veteran superstar sidelined. He’s scored 11 goals since his arrival. The Score
