FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi has been cleared to play again after taking two months to recover from an ankle injury, and Inter Miami indicated that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will return to the lineup on Saturday when the team plays host to Philadelphia.
“Messi is available,” Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said Friday before the team’s training session.
Martino did not reveal if Messi would start, enter the game as a substitute or if there’s a plan for a minutes restriction.
His return will be yet another lift to the club with the best record in Major League Soccer. Messi had missed nine consecutive MLS matches and 15 matches overall this season, yet the team still has the top mark in the league and has wrapped up a playoff berth.
Messi’s most recent appearance for Inter Miami was June 1, missing time first while playing for Argentina in the Copa America tournament and then because of the ankle issue.
Messi was injured while playing for Argentina in the Copa America final on July 14. He returned to group training with Inter Miami late last month, and because of a break for ongoing World Cup qualifying matches the team hasn’t played in two weeks — buying him some more time for recovery and conditioning.
Messi has 12 goals and 13 assists in 12 MLS games this season. Despite missing basically half of Inter Miami’s games, his 13 assists are third-most in MLS and he’s tied for 13th in goals.
