After sitting out a match, Lionel Messi returned to action Wednesday night, but Inter Miami fans were worried about the 36-year-old’s future status.
Messi sat out last Saturday’s loss to Atlanta United to rest up after playing for Argentina in a World Cup qualifying match earlier that week.
The superstar started in Inter Miami’s 4-0 win over Toronto FC at DRV PNK Stadium, but he exited in the 37th minute due to muscle fatigue. It was the eighth time in 937 career starts in his senior career and the first since October 2018 that Messi was subbed off before halftime.
Manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino told reporters after the match Messi would not play this Sunday against Orlando City, and he did not confirm if Messi would be fit to play in next Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup final against the Houston Dynamo, per ESPN’s Ross Devonport.
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Messi took MLS by storm when he signed in July, and the effects continued to show themselves Wednesday when fans were caught leaving the match early after Messi was subbed off.
The effect also has been big on sportsbooks, with Messi props among the most bet whenever he starts. Those wagers increased action on soccer at sportsbooks, and Messi’s run of eight straight goals when he debuted for Inter Miami hurt sportsbooks badly because of that action.
Wednesday provided a breather, with Messi to score a goal set at -330 at most sportsbooks, which was one of the most-bet props at DraftKings among its MLS props.
Martino stressed last month he would try to manage Messi’s minutes given Inter Miami won the Leagues Cup, has a chance to win the U.S. Open Cup next Wednesday and also is trying to clinch a playoff spot in the MLS Cup playoffs.
Wednesday’s win helped in that last goal with Inter Miami five points back behind D.C. United for the last playoff spot with six matches left in the regular season.
