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Former USMNT striker Hercules Gomez has criticised Inter Miami for their handling of Lionel Messi's injury situation. The 37-year-old sustained a ligament tear in Argentina's 1-0 extra-time win over Colombia in the 2024 Copa America final on July 14.
Messi has missed his side's last two MLS games, and it remains unclear when he will return to action. He also missed the MLS All-Star game on Wednesday (July 24), where the MLS All-Stars lost 4-1 to Liga MX All-Stars in Columbus, Ohio.
The Argentina captain seems unlikely to be available for the Herons' Leagues Cup title defence, which starts on Sunday (July 28). Gomez ripped into the club for not providing a definitive outline for their captain's injury (as per Futbol Americas via Clutch Points):
“It is complete horsec**p that they won’t give you an outline on what’s exactly going on and how long it will be. Other teams have to give you that. Inter Miami staying tight-lipped and not saying anything, that to me is embarrassing for MLS.
"We’ve always heard things and seen things from MLS from the beginning, the LA Galaxy got away with these things, LAFC got away with those things, Toronto here, Seattle there, but when it comes to Inter Miami, you’ve not only proven to get away with it, you look the other away, you publicly look the other way.”
Messi missed five games for the Herons because of his Copa America involvement, apart from eight other games due to injury or rest.
How has Lionel Messi fared for Inter Miami this season?
Despite having an injury-plagued 2024 season for Inter Miami - his first full campaign in American football - Lionel Messi has fared well whenever he has been available.
In 15 games across competitions, he has contributed 14 goals and 11 assists. That includes 12 goals and nine assists in 12 outings in the league - where Tata Martinez's side are five points clear at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference after 25 games.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has also bagged two goals and as many assists in three games in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, where the Herons lost 5-2 on aggregate to Monterrey in the quarter-finals.
