Lionel Messi only established his status as the greatest of all time over the weekend, as Argentina won another Copa America trophy. Lionel Messi watched from the sidelines as MLS fans and soccer fans worldwide felt a tear in the eye, watching the man who the sport owes so much to crying on the sideline.
It was his final trophy won for Argentina and he bowed out in the best way possible, by winning another international honour. After all, it's what the little boy from Rosario, Argentina, came out of his initial retirement to achieve and he conquered the Argentinian landscape, forever immortalised alongside the likes of Diego Maradona.
For Inter Miami fans, it was not nice to see their star player forced off the pitch through injury. Oftentimes, it is Messi's low centre of gravity which makes him impossible to tackle, meaning he is subject to rough-and-tough from his opponents, which was no different in the Copa America final.
Inter Miami head coach reveals major Lionel Messi injury update
But when can Inter Miami fans expect him back in MLS action? Aside from rightfully celebrating the Copa America win, Inter Miami fans also have the Lionel Messi injury concern to contend with. Thankfully, the Inter Miami head coach has provided a crucial update on the Lionel Messi injury situation.
As per Hindustan Times, Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino said: "The club's medical report is out and the information is that regarding the times, it will surely be evaluated week by week, We are going to see just how his recovery is without taking any kind of risk."
Reading between the lines, this is good news for Inter Miami fans. If the injury was initially thought to be more severe, it would be checked in on less routinely than week by week. It is also refreshing to see that Inter Miami are not rushing Lionel Messi back into action.
Inter Miami have certainly struggled without Lionel Messi, which is to be expected. He is their best and most influential player after all, boasting many connections on and off the pitch. However, rushing him back into action was never the right course of action.
After all, Martino (and no doubt, the Inter Miami medical team) are better off easing him back into action. Messi is sadly not as young as he once was, so risking further injury for the benefit of getting him back ahead of schedule is not beneficial.
Thinking short-term, Lionel Messi will definitely not play against Chigao Fire this weekend.