Lionel Messi requested a substitution in the 72nd minute of Inter Miami’s MLS match against Philadelphia Union, walking off in the 73rd minute. He appeared to feel the back of his left leg while standing near the sidelines in the final third. He gestured to the Miami camp and waited for the substitution board to be shown. He was replaced by Mateo Silvetti and left immediately for the dressing room via the tunnel. He walked in without support, slowly, and without team medical personnel present. Messi had played 90 minutes in all MLS games over the past month, and his decision to come off early raised fitness concerns ahead of Argentina’s World Cup campaign.
"Messi asked for a substitution in the 72nd minute of Inter Miami's Major League Soccer (MLS) game against Philadelphia Union, walking off the pitch in the 73rd minute as the defending champions completed a 6-4 win at home on Sunday. The 38-year-old, who has missed only one game for his club during this ongoing MLS season, walked off after feeling the back of his left leg, with speculation growing about his participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup."
"After providing two assists in the MLS champions' last home fixture before the World Cup, Messi stood close to the sidelines at the halfway mark on the pitch in the final third of the game. He gestured to the Miami camp, asking to come off the pitch, while feeling the back of his left leg. During the wait for the fourth official to put up the substitutions board with his number 10 on it, Messi did not move around much and wore a concerned look."
"The club captain was replaced by Mateo Silvetti in the 73rd minute, and when he came off, Messi immediately left for the dressing room via the tunnel. Tunnel cameras showed him walking in without any support, albeit slowly, and not in the presence of team medical personnel. While the Miami striker did not limp off the field or show any significant signs of discomfort, his decision to call for a substitution after having played 90 minutes in all MLS games in the past month raised concerns."
"Messi chose not to sit with his teammates on the Miami bench and instead walked towards the dressing room, adding to the worry about his fitness. With Argentina beginning their World Cup campaign in three weeks, Messi's apparent fitness concern could deal a serious blow to the team's World Cup title defence."
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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