‘It’s a shame’ - Lionel Messi injury frustration revealed by Sergio Busquets as Inter Miami sweat on MLS play-off spot

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has played just 37 minutes for the Florida-based franchise since returning from 2026 World Cup qualifying duty with Argentina nursing an untimely knock. He has sat out four successive fixtures – including a painful 4-1 defeat to the Chicago Fire last time out.

That result may have ended Inter Miami’s hopes of reaching the post-season, with even Messi’s special brand of magic unlikely to be enough to get them over that line. Busquets has shared his thoughts on seeing a talismanic presence ruled out of Tata Martino’s plans: “The first person who wants Leo to be on the field is Leo. Second is us, his teammates, because we know how important he is for us. It’s a shame, but in the world of football you can’t control injuries.”

Fans in Chicago were disappointed not to catch a glimpse of Messi in action on Wednesday, but Fire boss Frank Klopas believes his team put on a performance to send supporters home happy. He told reporters after a convincing victory at Soldier Field: “We talked about moments like this, opportunities, you have to grab them, and we did. It was sold out months ago. A lot of fans came for the first time to see Lionel Messi. Who doesn’t want to see him? Wherever Messi goes, it’s amazing what he’s done for the league. But the fans saw a great performance from our team. I guarantee a lot of people will go back home and say, ‘Wow that was entertaining.’ It’s about putting a show on the field. And we did that. Hopefully, they’ll come back next year, and not just for the Inter Miami game.”

The Chicago Fire are close to confirming their involvement in the 2023 MLS play-offs, but Inter Miami have a five-point gap to try and bridge through just three games – with there no guarantee that Messi will be back in time to aid that quest.