Lionel Messi’s reaction after Maxi Meza and Corcho Rodríguez’s goals for Monterrey against Inter Miami

The cameras that usually follow him when he is inside the playing field, this time pointed outside the field, more precisely at one of the boxes at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, from where Lionel Messi the match continued Inter Miami lost 2-1 against Monterrey, in the quarterfinals of the Concachampions. The reactions of the Argentine starfocused by several lenses, they did not go unnoticed.

The American team took the lead through a goal by Argentine Tomás Avilésat 18 in the initial half, but after suffering a infantile expulsion of David Ruiz He also suffered the goal of Maximiliano Meza’s temporary tiewho shared the squad with Messi in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The Corrientes footballer, former Gimnasia (LP) and Independiente, sent a short rebound into the back of the net that Drake Callender, the goalkeeper of the team coached by Gerardo Tata Martino, and began to generate some concern in the Rosario starwho let his back fall on the seat, threw a few words into the air and showed signs of concern when 23 minutes had elapsed, by bringing his hand to his face and looking to the sides.

Later, two minutes before the regulation time expired, Jorge Cork Rodríguez crowned a completely Argentine night of scorers, but declared the defeat of Inter Miami. At that point, the 10th was already continuing the game standing upand after the goal by the former Banfield and Estudiantes de La Plata he only managed to look at the audience.

Inter Miami did not have Lionel Messi on the field because the captain continues to recover from a muscle injury to the hamstring of the right leg which has been bad for him since the preseason tour of Asia.

Despite being medically discharged – he participated in training on Tuesday and moved alongside his teammates – the world champion in Qatar 2022 decided together with the coaching staff to preserve himself, feeling that the discomfort could reappear in a moment. match of such demand.

It was the fourth consecutive game that the Rosario player missed. His last appearance was in the round of 16 of the Concachampions, when he was replaced 5 minutes into the second half of the rematch against Nashville SC, on March 13.

It is very likely that Messi will also be absent from Saturday’s MLS clash against Colorado Rapids. The objective is to return on Wednesday, in Mexico, against Monterrey, which Inter must beat by two goals to continue in the race in the continental competition, the great objective of the season because it qualifies them for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, without going through the extension and penalties, which would happen if the result of the first leg were repeated.