Inter Miami is now out of the race for the MLS playoffs. Despite Lionel Messi’s return from injury, their hopes of advancing to the next round of Major League Soccer were crushed by FC Cincinnati on Saturday.
Amid rumors that Lionel Messi may not renew his contract with the MLS side and could be returning to his boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys to end his career, instead of staying in Miami after 2025, it seems being unable to secure a playoff berth can prove fateful for Inter Miami.
Inter Miami out of MLS playoffs despite Messi’s return
The scenario to advance to the next round was simple: after falling out of the chances of finishing in the top 7 to qualify for the playoffs, Messi’s side needed to at least secure the 9th position in their remaining games.
The seven-time Ballon Dor winner was named on the bench by Inter Miami marking his comeback to the team after being ruled out for the last four consecutive games for his MLS side since returning from his international duty for Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers.
Messi’s former Barcelona teammate, Jordi Alaba remained sideline for this game as well, while Sergio Busquets was named in the starting XI by the coach Tata Martino.
Alvaro Barreal scored the winner in the 78th minute for the visitors, FC Cincinnati, the ambitions of the home side were crushed with a 1-0 defeat that ended in the second-last position in the Eastern Conference on Saturday.
Lionel Messi who came off the bench in the 55th minute however couldn’t capitalize on the given chances and his side succumbed to loss in the must-win fixture. Now that, with only two games in their hands, David Beckham-owned club’s playoff chances are nearly impossible.
Inter Miami’s record with and without Lionel Messi
The World Cup winner’s arrival at the Florida-based club transformed the fate not only in terms of commercial aspects and shirt sales figures but also wins and trophies including the league-up triumph in August.
The Inter Miami skipper, Messi, led from the front, contributing to 16 goals in just 12 appearances until the injury occurred. Following Messi’s injury, Inter Miami managed only one win in their last six matches. Additionally, they lost the US Open Cup final against Houston Dynamo in Messi’s as]bsence on September 28th.
The MLS side had only one defeat in all the matches that the Argentine started this season for them. After the recent 1-0 they were eliminated and will play their last scheduled league fixtures against Charlotte FC home and away respectively to officially conclude the season.
