Injury Blow for Lionel Messi as Inter Miami Edge Necaxa in Leagues Cup Thriller

Inter Miami were dealt a major scare in the Leagues Cup second-round clash against Necaxa as their talisman, Lionel Messi, was forced off with an injury just 11 minutes into the match.

The MLS superstar appeared to tweak his hamstring during a trademark run into the box before being stopped by defenders. Messi stayed down on the turf and, after receiving treatment, signaled to the bench that he couldn’t continue. He was substituted moments later.

Initial reports indicate the 37-year-old Argentine has suffered a strain to the back of his thigh. The extent of the injury remains unclear, and it's currently unknown how long Messi could be sidelined.

Despite the early setback, the match at DRV PNK Stadium turned into a rollercoaster. Just a minute after Messi’s departure, Segovia opened the scoring for Inter Miami. But the momentum shifted quickly as Falcón was shown a red card in the 17th minute, reducing Miami to 10 men.

Badaloni equalized for Necaxa before halftime. In the second half, tempers flared again as Calleron received a straight red, leveling the sides numerically. Monreal then put Necaxa in front with a strike in the 81st minute, only for Jordi Alba to save the day deep into stoppage time with a dramatic equalizer.

The match went to penalties, where Inter Miami held their nerve to win the shootout 5–4 and advance to the next round of the Leagues Cup.

Leagues Cup – Round of 32

Inter Miami 2–2 Necaxa (5–4 pens)
Goals: Segovia 12’ (1–0), Badaloni 33’ (1–1), Monreal 81’ (1–2), Jordi Alba 90+2’ (2–2)
Red cards: Falcón 17’ – Calleron 60’