Lionel Messi began 2025 as if to be excited about another anthology season. At 37, and beyond – they say – the demand for the MLS and Concacaf is not the same, talent is not measured. This Tuesday gave Another sample of the determining which can be in the Inter Miamiconverted a goal To start closing the series against Sporting Kansas City (The rematch ended 3-1 and the global 4-1), put his team in Eighth of the Champions League And when everything was liquidated, he asked for the change to open another question: Did you feel a nuisance or did you think of the adjusted calendar that comes ahead?.
The gesture he made to the alternate bank about 15 minutes of the second half is the one that generated uncertainty. Because, you know, Messi plays everything he can and only he determines when he has to leave the playing field. That the locker room has gone directly, in addition, it did not help speculation either.
In the Chase Stadium, anyway, the most optimistic version indicated that it was only a care thinking that he must play three meetings in the next 10 days, including the first leg of the eighths against the Cavalier SCChampion of the Premier League of Jamaica. The most dramatic remembered when at this same height last year, in a similar situation, he suffered an injury that left several games outside the courts.
That possibility also resonated in Ezeiza. Is that in a month, the ARGENTINE SELECTION You will have the two most anticipated commitments of the South American Qualifiers: you will visit Uruguay In Montevideo and will receive Brazil in the classic at the Monumental Stadium. And Messi is a number put, of course.
But before all that there was a show. Another show on the Fort Lauderdale stage. Very little had risk the Inter Miami until Messi decided to accelerate. He ran to Luis Suarez who, as if he knew him as always, threw the center behind. The ‘flea’ slept with his chest and put a brutal volley that stuck in Kansas’s first stick and meant the 1-0 that reassured the fans who filled the stands.
After the hug in recognition with the Uruguayan striker and his companions, the Rosario rehearsed a celebration that went viral: he took the left fist in his chest, looked towards the camera and pointed it with an index to the lens with a smile.
The hope of the Kansas of a comeback vanished before the break. It is that first Tadeo Allende, after an overflow of Jordi Alba with Messi’s participation, and then Suárez himself, gave Inter Miami. Before they had annulled the partial tie of the visit for an advanced position.
He could have scored his goal number 853 in his career the ’10’, but after a wall with the kid Telasco Segovia, his strong definition in the middle was rejected by the goalkeeper, which this time won the duel.
Messi asked the change at 67 minutes, left his place to Benjamin Creamchi and went directly to the locker room, so he did not see the discount of ‘Memo’ Rodríguez, thanks to a detour in the Uruguayan Falcón that confused the Argentine goalkeeper Oscar Ustari. You will have to play Sunday, Thursday (for Champions) and again on the last day of the following week. You have to administer the physicist … and also magic.
The sanction of the MLS for Messi for grabbing an assistant from his neck
The official year for the Flea had started with an annotation to Kansas City in the 1-0 Ida triumph of the Concachampions and two assists in the 2-2 draw of the weekend at the start of the MLS against New York City.
Just in that match Messi had an attack of fury that was rarely seen inside a playing field. He left the court after the final whistle and a discussion with referee Alexis da Silva who earned him the yellow.
The most valuable player of last year in the league had a words crossing with Mehdi Ballouchy, assistant of the New York team coach. The Argentine covered his mouth while two Miami attendees intervened.
The ‘flea’ began to move away, but then turned towards Ballouchy. He put his right hand on the back of Ballouchy’s neck and squeezed, apparently with enough force to leave him a discomfort.
The league fined Messi, and also to Suarez, for an unaccoiled amount. The Uruguayan violated the policy that prevents players from placing their hands on the face, head or neck of a rival, during another altercation during the game, first of the regular season.