Inter Miami CF Postpones Friendly Match Due to Messi’s Injury

omidbasir- Inter Miami CF has announced the postponement of their friendly match against Independiente del Valle, originally set for February 13 in Puerto Rico, due to a muscle strain sustained by Lionel Messi in his left hamstring during a preseason encounter with Barcelona SC on February 7.

Messi participated in the match against Barcelona SC but left the field in the 58th minute, subsequently observing the remainder of the game from the sidelines. This injury raises concerns regarding his participation in the season opener for the reigning MLS Cup champions against LAFC on February 21 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the club expressed, “The Club, in collaboration with the event promoter and the government of Puerto Rico, believes shifting the match will allow for the best experience for fans in Puerto Rico. The match will remain at 7 p.m. ET (8 p.m. local) at Estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, with Independiente del Valle as the opponent.”

Earlier that day, Inter Miami disclosed that Messi did not participate in training on February 11 due to the hamstring strain sustained in Ecuador, which has persisted since the match.

Following additional medical evaluations that confirmed the diagnosis, the club indicated that Messi’s return to training will be contingent on his clinical and functional progress in the coming days.

Messi addressed the postponement via social media, stating, “Hi everyone, I wanted to send this message to the people of Puerto Rico and all the fans attending the training session and game. To be honest, during the last game in Ecuador, I ended with a muscle strain, which is why I left the field early. Consequently, it was decided, in collaboration with the organization and Inter Miami, to suspend this game. We hope it can be rescheduled, and we can meet soon. Thank you for all the love you always show. I hope we can do this in the future, all the best.”

The friendly match against Independiente del Valle will now take place on February 26, following the commencement of the 2026 MLS season.

In 2024, Messi missed a preseason friendly in Hong Kong due to injury, which elicited a frustrated response from local fans. In light of that, the event organizer offered partial refunds. At that time, Miami acknowledged the late decision had caused dissatisfaction among supporters and reiterated that player health is of utmost importance, remarking, “Injuries are unfortunately a part of the beautiful game.”