Oct. 5 (UPI) — Inter Miami’s hopes for the playoffs are dimming as Lionel Messi remains sidelined due to a leg injury, despite the team’s initial resurgence upon his arrival.
The Herons suffered a 4-1 loss to the Chicago Fire, failing to secure any points and missing an opportunity to climb higher in the MLS Eastern Conference rankings.
“Our chances still exist minimally, but they no longer depend exclusively on us,” expressed Herons manager Tata Martino during a postgame news conference.
The top 9 teams in both the Eastern and Western Conferences will advance to the playoffs.
Currently, the Herons (9-16-6) are in 14th place, sitting three points behind Charlotte FC in 13th place and five points behind Montreal in 9th place.
With only three games remaining in their schedule, the Herons can earn nine points if they win all three. However, they no longer have control over their own fate and would also need other teams to lose in order to have a chance at the playoffs.
When Messi joined, the Herons were in last place (15th) in the standings.
Messi, 36, officially joined the team in July and made his debut on July 21 in a Leagues Cup victory against Cruz Azul. The Herons enjoyed a nine-game winning streak, but most of those wins were in tournaments and didn’t impact their MLS standings.
They managed to draw against Nashville SC and defeat LAFC, earning four points in the standings. However, the Herons suffered a 5-2 loss to Atlanta United in their first game without Messi, who was away on international duty with Argentina. Messi returned for a game against Toronto FC but left before halftime due to aggravating his leg injury.
Since Messi’s absence, the Herons have a record of 0-1-2 in MLS matches.
“Of course we are going to miss the best player in the world, whether we win or we lose,” Martino acknowledged.
The Herons will play against FC Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday and face Charlotte FC on Wednesday at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. They will conclude the regular season with a game against Charlotte FC on Oct. 21 in Charlotte, N.C.
Martino mentioned that Messi is “closer to playing again” and that the team will assess his availability for the FC Cincinnati match after evaluating him on Thursday and Friday.
