Lionel Messi set to return for MLS club Inter Miami after two months out

The Argentina prima is disposable for Miami’s MLS crippled against Philadelphia aft being retired of enactment since July 14 erstwhile helium sprained his ankle.

Lionel Messi is acceptable to instrumentality to enactment with his Major League Soccer club, Inter Miami, aft spending much than 2 months retired with an ankle injury, Miami manager Gerardo Martino confirms.

Messi has not played since spraining his close ankle successful Argentina’s July 14 triumph against Colombia successful the 2024 Copa America final. He past played for Inter Miami connected June 1 but volition beryllium disposable for enactment against the visiting Philadelphia Union connected Saturday, Martino said.

“Yes, he’s good now,” Martino told reporters connected Friday.

“Yesterday, helium returned to training. He is contemplated for tomorrow’s game, and aft training, we volition specify the strategy for him, but helium is available. We are going to erstwhile again person the champion subordinate successful the satellite wrong the team, truthful we are each blessed astir that situation.”

Messi sat retired Wednesday’s league with a sore pharynx earlier participating successful the Herons’ league connected Thursday.

“Luckily, [the sore throat] lasted conscionable 1 day. Yesterday, helium trained normally. Let’s anticipation helium keeps evolving today,” Martino said. “It’s astir taking into information each that’s happened to specify the strategy.”

Inter Miami are closing successful connected the Supporters’ Shield and the apical playoff effect successful the Eastern Conference with 59 points from 27 games.

The 37-year-old guardant has recorded 12 goals and 13 assists successful conscionable 12 MLS matches this play – the fastest to 25 extremity contributions successful league history.

He has missed 8 MLS games for his nine and this month’s World Cup qualifiers for his country.

World champions and Copa America winners Argentina missed their talismanic skipper arsenic they were handed a daze loss distant astatine Colombia connected Tuesday.