Inter Miami’s pre-season turmoil escalates with new injury amid Lionel Messi protests
Sergio Busquets suffered an injury in Miami’s game against Vissel Kobe (Image: Getty). Inter Miami’s pre-season took a turn for the worse as midfielder Sergio Busquets got injured during a match against Vissel Kobe, following outrage from Hong Kong fans over Lionel Messi’s absence in a previous pre-season friendly. The injury occurred when Barcelona legend Busquets was taken off the field due to a harsh tackle by Yuya Okaka, but surprisingly, Okaka did not receive a yellow card.
The game continued to a 0-0 draw, resulting in a penalty shootout, which Vissel Kobe won 4-3, despite Lionel Messi’s presence on the field. Fortunately, Messi managed to complete the game without exacerbating his existing injury. Messi had previously expressed regret to Hong Kong for missing a game due to his injury, which disappointed many fans (Image: Getty).
“The truth is that I feel very good compared to a few days ago,” Messi stated after the Vissel Kobe match, expressing his improved condition and desire to play. Inter Miami’s 2024 MLS season is scheduled to commence with a match against Real Salt Lake in Florida. However, prior to this, they will play against Messi’s favorite team, Newell’s Old Boys.
The team has faced chaos during their pre-season due to the backlash in Hong Kong and multiple injuries. Head coach Tara Martino emphasized that Messi would not have been able to play in the upcoming match due to his injury, despite the disappointment of the Hong Kong fans. Martino stated, “It would have been a huge risk to put him in, even for a few minutes.
But he always had the desire, as did our coaching staff, that he would participate in all four games (of the tour). Unfortunately, it did not turn out that way.”
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