The Argentine icon is set for a long spell without games as the MLS season ends for Inter Miami.
Inter Miami’s hopes of reaching the Major League Soccer (MLS) playoffs ended after a 1-0 defeat against FC Cincinnati on Saturday night.
Lionel Messi made his much-awaited comeback in the 55th minute but failed to change the course of the game. The Argentine superstar stayed goalless for the fifth league game in a row as Inter Miami lost their chance to reach the playoffs.
The defeat kept Inter Miami at 33 points on the Eastern Conference table, with only two games remaining this season. Eighth-placed Montreal secured their place in the playoffs after an impressive 4-1 victory over Portland Timbers.
When will Messi play again for Inter Miami?
Inter Miami will end their 2023 MLS campaign with back-to-back matches against Charlotte on 19 and 22 October.
However, Messi will most likely miss the first game as he plans to join Argentina for World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru later this month.
The 35-year-old will then start a long vacation from club games until the start of the new MLS season. A precise date for the 2024 campaign is yet to be revealed, but teams will most likely return to action in late February or early March.
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