Messi exits Inter Miami's Leagues Cup match with apparent injury

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi exited Inter Miami's Leagues Cup match against Necaxa on Saturday night after suffering an apparent hamstring injury in the opening minutes.

After the match that Inter Miami won in a penalty shootout, coach Javier Mascherano indicated that Messi would undergo testing on Sunday to determine the severity of the injury.

"He felt discomfort," Mascherano said through an interpreter. “We will not be able to know until tomorrow how severe the injury is. There's probably something there. He was not in pain, but he did feel a pull.”

Messi was injured around the eighth minute when he fell while being challenged by a pair of defenders near the penalty area. He fell to the ground and slammed his fist in frustration before walking toward midfield as play continued.

He walked slowly toward the Inter Miami bench before sitting down on the pitch. Trainers came out and worked on his right upper thigh area for a couple of minutes before he subbed out for Federico Redondo in the 11th and immediately walked to the locker room.

Messi has dealt with numerous hamstring injuries throughout his career and has missed time over the past couple of seasons dealing with various leg injuries — the most recent issue was with his left adductor, which sidelined him for a pair of Argentina's World Cup qualifiers earlier this year.

The injury puts his status for Inter Miami's next Leagues Cup match in jeopardy. The Herons take on Pumas UNAM on Wednesday.

Mascherano has been tasked with managing Messi's packed workload all season.

The 38-year-old star was experiencing fatigue late last month and skipped the MLS All-Star game, which led to a one-match suspension by the league for violating its rules on participation in the exhibition match.

Messi was unavailable for Inter Miami's match against Cincinnati on July 26, which allowed him a bit of rest.

"He is someone who would rather play than rest," Mascherano said on Friday, adding that Messi would tell the team if he is experiencing fatigue.

“Clearly, we talk about the situation and we manage it,” he said. “But it has to be a conversation with the player. They know where they can push their body and up to which point they can’t. Leo is a special case. ... Perhaps if you make him rest, he feels worse. If we see a red flag or a risk, we aim to speak to the players.”

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