Sports

Messi doubtful for Inter Miami-Orlando match due to injury

Published

7 months ago

May 15, 2024

Lionel Messi

Messi doubtful for Inter Miami-Orlando match due to injury

Lionel Messi will be evaluated ahead of Inter Miami’s clash with Orlando City on Wednesday after suffering a minor knee injury, assistant coach Javier Morales said, while Jordi Alba will be available for selection.

Messi picked up the injury in Miami’s 3-2 win over Montréal on Saturday. The Argentina forward was fouled by Montreal’s George Campbell in the 40th minute, forcing Messi to go down holding his knee, although he was cleared to play the remainder of the match.

“We are going to check Messi today, see how he feels today during the training session and then make a decision,” Morales said. “Yesterday, he did the bike and jogged a little bit and felt his knee a little bit but we’ll see how he is today.

“He suffered a hit to the knee on Saturday vs. Montréal, he continued playing through the end of the game and then iced it when finished. He trained with the players yesterday who did regenerative work, with the bicycle and a bit of jogging on the field.

“Now, like the rest of the players, we will evaluate them to see how they feel and who is ready,” Morales said. “Serhiy Kryvtsov, for example, felt a cramp. Yesterday, the players that started vs. Montréal did regenerative work at the gym. We’ll talk to them today, see how they feel and see what we do against Orlando City tomorrow.”

Messi, like most players who started the match against Montréal, did not feature in the first 15 minutes of training on Tuesday morning. And Miami later officially listed him as questionable for Wednesday’s game in the league’s player status report.

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But Morales said he has a “competitive” mentality when coming back from a knock.

“I have known Messi as a person for a year, he is such a competitive player,” Morales said. “Everything he plays in he wants to win. Everything he does, he tries to do his best. He came here to try and build this league and now he is getting ready for Copa América. Every time he plays, he’ll try to do his best. We’re very happy and pleased to have him with us.”

Morales said Miami will ask MLS to provide clarity on the two-minute sideline rule that forced Messi out of the match on Saturday.

Because of new MLS regulations, “If the referee stops play due to a potential player injury in which the player remains on the ground for more than 15 seconds and the medical staff enters the field of play, the player may be required to leave the field of play for two minutes.”

Messi exited the pitch in a crucial moment, after the foul inspired a free kick for Miami in a prime position for the player to score.

During his brief stint on the sideline, the player turned to the camera to express disdain while angrily shaking his head.

“Something we’ve talked about within the team is these MLS rules cannot be so black and white, and must be open to interpretation,” Morales said on Tuesday. “Especially with these, as they are being done on a testing basis because it’s not something that comes from FIFA. There must be an interpretation.

“In the case of Messi, we are losing 0-2 and there is a clash between two players,” he said. “You all know that Leo is the last person to waste time on the pitch, he is hurt and has to get out of the field. We don’t want to waste time, we’re losing. So that’s where the interpretation of the rule comes in.

“We know it’s on a trial basis, and we hope MLS can review and analyze these situations to have better resolutions in the future.”

Meanwhile, Alba joined several players on the field during Tuesday’s session open to the media.

The defender returns after a four-game spell on the sidelines after suffering a right-leg injury during the second half of the 3-2 win over Sporting Kansas City on April 13. He is expected to feature against Orlando.

“Jordi is ready and back, and we’re happy to have him back,” Morales said.

Miami will head to Orlando as leaders of the Eastern Conference table with 27 points in 13 games and a 8-2-3 record.

Now, the Herons will attempt to earn their first victory at Inter&co. Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday night.

Messi doubtful for Inter Miami-Orlando match due to injury

Sports

Gabriel Jesus shines as Arsenal thrash Palace 5-1 in London derby

Published

1 hour ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

Gabriel Jesus shines as Arsenal thrash Palace 5-1 in London derby

Gabriel Jesus struck twice as Arsenal became the first side since Chelsea in 2005 to go a full calendar year unbeaten in Premier League London derbies, defeating Crystal Palace 5-1 to close the gap on league leaders Liverpool to three points for the time being.

A hat-trick against Palace in a 3-2 EFL Cup victory on Wednesday earned Jesus a starting berth here, and it took just six minutes for him to reward Mikel Arteta’s selection.

A first Premier League goal since January arrived when Bukayo Saka’s cross bounced off Gabriel Magalhães, allowing Jesus to stride towards the ball and side-foot home. A nervy moment for David Raya went unpunished moments later, but just five minutes after going ahead, the Gunners were pegged back as the red-hot Ismaïla Sarr bent an effort around William Saliba and inside the far post.

A breathless start to the contest continued with a third goal in the opening 15 minutes, and perhaps predictably, it came from an Arsenal corner. This time, Gabriel Martinelli’s delivery was partially cleared, but only as far as Jesus, whose controlled finish flew into the corner.

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Another defensive lapse from the visitors almost saw the scores levelled once more, only for Raya to bail out Saliba with a one-on-one stop to deny Jean-Philippe Mateta. At the other end, Gabriel went close from yet another Arsenal corner before the away side extended their advantage through Kai Havertz, who reacted first after Jesus had nodded onto the far post.

Needing a response, the hosts were inches from reducing the deficit straight after the restart when Raya was equal to Sarr’s diving header. The Arsenal shot-stopper was then called into action again, getting behind Mateta’s rifled long-range shot and catching Sarr’s follow-up header.

Those saves kept the Eagles at bay, and with an hour played, the points were all but wrapped up. A well-worked move should have ended with Jesus’ second hat-trick of the week, yet Henderson saved well with his foot only to see Martinelli turn in substitute Declan Rice’s resultant low strike.

Determined to get on the scoresheet, Rice guided in Arsenal’s fifth goal late on, sealing three vital points in an evening where the only major blemish was Saka’s first-half injury.

Despite conceding in a seventh consecutive away league match – their longest travelling run without a PL clean sheet in over five years – Arsenal now find themselves within touching distance of the league summit, albeit having played more games than the sides above them.

Meanwhile, Palace had lost just one of their last eight PL fixtures (W3, D4), but defeat here means they’re yet to add to their solitary home league victory (D4, L4), leaving the Eagles 15th in the table.

Gabriel Jesus shines as Arsenal thrash Palace 5-1 in London derby

Sports

Atletico grab late winner at Barcelona to go top of La Liga

Published

1 hour ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

Atletico grab late winner at Barcelona to go top of La Liga

Substitute Alexander Sorloth scored an injury-time winner as Atletico Madrid fought back against Barcelona to replace them at the top of La Liga.

Pedri opened the scoring for Barcelona in the 30th minute, linking up with fellow Spain midfielder Gavi before slotting a low strike past Jan Oblak.

Despite their dominance, the hosts couldn’t hold on and Rodrigo De Paul hammered home the equaliser on the hour mark after leaping on a mistake from Marc Casado.

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Barcelona were left to rue more missed chances when Sorloth slammed in Nahuel Molina’s cross in the sixth minute of injury time to give Atletico their 12th straight win in all competitions.

The victory means Atletico will end 2024 as the top team in Spain, three points above Barcelona, who have played a game more.

Hansi Flick’s Barca side could slip to third if Real Madrid beat Sevilla on Sunday.

Atletico grab late winner at Barcelona to go top of La Liga

Sports

Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury to retain heavyweight titles

Published

1 hour ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury to retain heavyweight titles

Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury to retain his unified heavyweight world titles and prove his status as a generational great with another close points win in their rematch in Saudi Arabia.

Having inflicted a first career defeat on Briton Fury by split decision in May, Usyk’s astuteness and will to win once again prevailed at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena – and he retained his WBA (Super), WBC and WBO titles.

Fury, 36, found success in the first half of the fight. Some of the more eye-catching shots came from the Morecambe fighter, but the volume of punches and cleaner work were from Ukrainian Usyk.

All three judges scored it 116-112 to the 37-year-old champion.

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Usyk, an Olympic gold medallist and former undisputed cruiserweight champion, extended his undefeated record to 23 pro wins.

“He [Tyson Fury] is a great fighter, he is a great opponent. An unbelievable 24 rounds for my career. Thank you so much,” Usyk said.

Two-time world champion Fury has only ever lost to Usyk, his two defeats the major blemishes on a record also consisting of 34 wins and one draw.

Fury left the ring without conducting an interview, before IBF world champion Daniel Dubois climbed in and called for a rematch with Usyk.

A visibly frustrated figure in the moments after the scorecards were read out, Fury said backstage he was convinced he won the fight by “at least three rounds”.