Victory for Inter Miami

“Buttocks overloaded”: Messi injured after scoring

Lionel Messi shone on the pitch and then had to leave the field with an injury.(Bild: AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Rich Storry)

First Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to the quarter-finals of the North and Central American Champions League with a goal and an assist - then he had to leave the field with an injury. "The right buttock is strained," explained his coach. 

Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to the quarter-finals of the North and Central American Champions League on Wednesday with a goal and an assist. In the 3:1 home win in the second leg against Nashville SC, Messi scored to make it 2:0, but had to be substituted in the 50th minute with a knock.

After the 2-2 draw in the first leg last week, Luis Suarez gave Miami an early 1-0 lead (8') after an assist from Messi. The Argentine himself made it 2-0 in the 23rd minute. Shortly after the break, however, he had to leave the pitch with an ailment. "His right buttock is strained. We didn't want to take any risks," said coach Gerardo Martino.