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Lionel Messi returned to action for Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup clash against Atlas on Wednesday night, July 30, and broke his silence on the MLS ban after the game. The Argentine admitted that it was difficult to get back into his rhythm after sitting out the previous match.
The Inter Miami star was forced to sit out the FC Cincinnati match by the MLS after he skipped the All-Star Game against the Liga MX All-Stars. He was not pleased with the decision and spoke about it to the media after the Leagues Cup game and said (via GOAL):
"The truth is that it was difficult with the heat, and not having played the other day. Even if [the rest] seems better, for me it's worse because I need to compete. I feel good physically the more matches I play and get into rhythm. The other day they didn't let me compete, and I felt it in the first half, but the important thing is that we won."
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Messi assisted both goals as Inter Miami defeated Atlas 2-1, with the winner coming in the 96th minute. The goal was initially ruled out when the linesman called Marcelo Weigandt offside, but VAR checks showed that the defender was behind the ball, which led the referee to award Inter Miami the late winner.
The Barcelona legend also spoke about the importance of the competition and said:
"It's a great competition for us; one we always compete in. It's a great test for us to face Mexican teams, and the format has changed, so we can enjoy it and play it. It's a great competition. [The victory] is super important. The American teams hadn't won, and it's important for us to take advantage because we compete against each other. While we're playing against Mexican teams, the table is on our side, and we have to score more than the others."
The Leagues Cup was Inter Miami's first-ever silverware in their history, and Lionel Messi played a key role in helping them win in 2023. It was his debut competition with the MLS side, and he scored 10 goals and assisted once in the seven games during that run to the title.
Inter Miami co-owner reveals Lionel Messi was angry with MLS ban
Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas spoke in a press conference after MLS announced their decision to ban Lionel Messi for the FC Cincinnati match. He claimed that the Argentine legend was angry with the decision and hoped that it would not affect their relationship in the long-term. He said (via Tom Bogert):
"The reaction was exactly as expected: Not positive... They don't understand the decision. They don't understand why not attending an exhibition match leads directly to a suspension. I think the rule is going to change. Leo Messi is extremely upset. I'm hopeful it doesn't have an impact long-term. He is very, very angry."
Along with Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba was also suspended for the game. The Spaniard also returned to action against Atlas and will be raring to get back on the pitch against Necaxa on Saturday, August 2.
