Inter Miami’s winning streak came to an end yesterday with the absence of Lionel Messi against Orlando. It was all square in the Florida derby as the match ended in a stalemate. But as the Herons now shift their focus to the upcoming weekend’s fixture against DC United, questions about the availability of La Pulga continue to swirl. 

As per the latest reports from journalist Gaston Edul and compiled by @InterMiamiZone, Messi is deemed fit to play the next match against DC United. He will be starting the game and there are no injury concerns revolving around the Argentinian superstar. Interestingly, during the Orlando post-match presser, Tata Martino also shed light on Messi’s fitness. He said, “Messi was in discomfort, he trained every day what he had agreed upon and in accordance with the discomfort in his knee as a result of the blow. He was uneasy and had studies done, the studies were very good.”

Though Martino acknowledged that Messi failed to recover from the knee injury, he noted that the skipper’s absence in the last match allowed him to come back stronger than ever. Notably, journalist Jose Armando had also revealed that despite speculations, the 36-year-old’s injury wasn’t serious and wouldn’t affect his participation in the upcoming Copa America. Regardless, seeing Messi back for the next match is certainly a relief for all the fans.

A resurgence is expected from both Messi and Miami as they seek to clinch the crucial three points they missed last night. This situation brings up the controversial topic of whether the David Beckham-owned franchise is overly dependent on Messi to win games. Well, hear what Tata Martino had to say on the matter.

Is Inter Miami over-dependent on Lionel Messi? 

During the post-match press conference, the former River Plate boss was asked to reflect on the outcome, particularly the impact of Messi’s absence. Martino interestingly referenced his and Messi’s former team, stating, “With Leo (Messi) not there it is impossible to achieve the ability he has to play the last 25 meters, Inter Miami feels that today, and Barcelona ten years ago.” 

Martino is suggesting that relying on Messi for positive results is not unique to Miami, as it was also true for the Barcelona team he managed for one season. Although this doesn’t mean that either Miami or Barcelona won every game Messi played, his presence undeniably influences the game’s direction. Either way, Tata Martino and Co. would be looking to capitalize on the presence of Messi in the next game against DC United.