After Inter Miami signed Messi he has exploded in the MLS scene and completely changed U.S. sports forever. However, the early craze has gotten to him, as he has missed six games.
Messi entered Miami in perfect time to win the team their first trophy as he led them to win the Leagues Cup. Messi has performed at peak athletic ability as he has scored 11 goals and bagged eight assists. Not only has Messi performed well individually, but with the addition of Barcelona veterans Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alaba, he has given the platform for young stars to shine around him.
“But he’s come in and completely mixed in with the group, mixed in with the old guys, mixed with the young guys, everything just like a regular player,” Inter Miami teammate Deandre Yedlin said.
One of the Inter Miami players who has taken the spotlight and flourished is the 18-year-old homegrown player Benjamin Cremaschi. Cremaschi has made a name for himself as he signed a pro contract at the young age of 17. Cremaschi is an American of Argentine descent and has gotten attention from both countries as he is a young prospect who seems to have a bright future ahead. Cremaschi is just one of many players that have shone in Messi’s spotlight as players like Drake Callender and Leonardo Campagna have flourished as well.
“So I really haven’t had time to sit down and really think about what’s happening,” Cremaschi said. “But it’s honestly just been an amazing 30 days, it’s been an amazing year, and hopefully we’ll keep on growing.”
Despite all of this positive impact on his club and his country, as he scored an amazing free kick for Argentina in a 1-0 win against Ecuador, all of this has caught up to the 36-year-old. Messi moved to the sunny city at the busiest time of year for his club. Between the Leagues Cup, Open Cup, Major League Soccer, and World Cup qualifiers, his calendar included 25 games in 93 days, according to Yahoo Sports. Messi has now exited or missed six consecutive games between country and club. After his free kick in the 78th minute against Ecuador he claimed that he “felt something” in the back of his leg.
“But I’m saying this based on a conversation I had with [Messi], not because we’ve done scans,” head coach Tata Martino said. “We have to wait and perhaps be even more cautious.”
The fatigue of the rigorous schedule opens up older players to easier aggravation or a more severe injury. Messi along with Alba have struggled with hamstring injuries which are the most common fatigue injuries. However, this is not a new issue for Lionel as he has struggled with a right hamstring injury since he was a teenager at Barcelona.
“How much time the player needs to rest in order to play a game,” Martino said.
As the season continues Messi and Inter Miami hope to continue their hot streak with healthy players as they moved to number two in the MLS power ranking as they were last place pre-Messi era.
