Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami season could reportedly be over if the attacker features in Wednesday’s US Open Cup final.
Speaking to CBS Sports Golazo, the Athletic’s Felipe Cardenas stated that the Argentine forward could be done for the year if he plays against the Houston Dynamo tomorrow night.
Messi has been nursing an injury since the international break, and with the Herons unlikely to qualify for the playoffs, a decision might be made to rest the 36-year-old for the rest of the year.
With an eye already on 2024, Inter Miami resting Messi until next year will anger supporters, but it’s a decision that could well be made.
Cardenas said about Messi’s fitness ahead of the US Open Cup final: “I think if he plays on Wednesday night, there is a big possibility we don’t see Lionel Messi again in the MLS regular season.
“If it’s touch-and-go with him and the cup final is the most important thing for the club, that could be it [for the year].”
Inter Miami resting Messi for the year might actually be smart
Messi is a player who has shown he wants to play matches no matter the occasion or how bad his fitness is, yet Inter Miami resting the forward for the remainder of the year could be a smart decision.
The 36-year-old is easily the best player in the world, yet to Inter Miami, that is pointless if Messi is too hurt to play or burnt out from playing fixtures that ultimately mean nothing.
Victory in the US Open Cup will guarantee a successful season for the Herons, and resting Messi until the 2024 MLS season could be a wise choice from Inter Miami despite how controversial such a move would be.