Messi, Alba Ruled Out of Orlando Clash As Martino Provides Injury Update on Inter Miami Stars

• Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba will not be involved for Inter Milan against Orlando
• Both men limped off injured within three minutes of each other against Toronto
• Gerardo Martino has provided details on the injuries suffered by both players

Inter Miami will have to play their second game within a week without Lionel Messi. He is set to miss out on the trip to Orlando after limping off against Toronto, minutes after Jordi Alba also got injured.

Messi is having his minutes managed after gruesome first weeks at the club, where he played 12 games in 48 days, on an average of a game every four days.

He returned from international duty but was allowed to sit out the game against Atlanta United, having also been left out of the matchday squad against Bolivia for Argentina.

His return to action ended after only 37 minutes against Toronto, with the scores levelled at 0-0. Jordi Alba exited the game three minutes prior, compounding the team's injury woes.

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Messi, Alba out of Orlando clash

Gerardo Martino ruled both men out of the Florida derby against Orlando City immediately after the game. He confirmed the decision during his pre-game conference, as quoted by Mirror UK.

"Neither Alba nor he (Messi) are taken into account for Sunday," he said. "I haven't spoken to Leo since the game, but it seems to me that his experience gives him the ability, even within a game, to know when to stop, when to say enough, when to take precautions."

There were initial concerns Messi suffered significant injuries, but the Argentine manager, who previously coached both players at Barcelona, clarified the nature of the injury.

"The annoying scar, I don't know if it hurts, maybe it's something much more medical," he added.

Martino explains Messi's injury

Sports Brief reported that Tata Martino explained Messi's injury against Toronto and downplayed fears the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner suffered a muscle injury.

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The head coach claimed it was a scar from a previous injury, the same that kept him out of the game against Bolivia. The former PSG star was spotted holding his hamstring during warm-up.

Messi worried fans with his gesture on the bench, which made fans think something serious could be wrong. He sighed in exhaustion after taking his seat.