Connect with us

Miami, FL

Lionel Messi missing at least next two Inter Miami games with ankle injury concern

Published

on

Lionel Messi missing at least next two Inter Miami games with ankle injury concern


Inter Miami will be without Lionel Messi for at least their next two matches after the soccer superstar suffered an ankle injury in the Copa America final on Sunday while playing with the Argentina national team. 

The MLS club announced Tuesday that Messi had suffered a ligament injury in his right ankle and his “availability will be determined by periodic assessments and the progress of his recovery.” 

Head coach Tata Martino told reporters earlier in the day that Messi, 37, would miss Inter Miami’s match against Toronto FC on Wednesday and their showdown with the Chicago Fire on Sunday. 

Lionel Messi leaves the pitch after picking up suffering an ankle injury during Argentina’s Copa America tournament final win over Columbia on Sunday. AFP via Getty Images

Martino indicated that Messi had “twisted” the ankle and that an injury “is present,” the Associated Press reported. 

Advertisement

The Inter Miami coach did not want to speculate about the severity of the injury.

“There will be tests done to determine the severity of the situation,” Martino said. “We are always informed through our kinesiologist Walter Insaurralde, who is also the kinesiologist of the national team.

He said he is very cautious at giving a final diagnosis before results are in. 

Messi, widely referred to as “The GOAT” of the sport, suffered the ankle injury in the 64th minute of Argentina’s 1-0 win over Colombia when he appeared to plant his foot awkwardly and tumbled to the ground. 

He remained down on the pitch for several minutes before limping to the bench, angrily throwing one of his shoes and then burying his face in his hands as he cried. 

Advertisement
Lionel Messi waits on the field to be attended to by trainers during the second half of Argentina’s win over Colombia. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

Messi looked as though he had escaped injury earlier in the game when he went down chasing a ball and ended up holding his right ankle after a strong challenge from Colombia’s Santiago Arias. 

The 37-year-old, who made the move to MLS last summer, issued his first statement on the matter in a post on Instagram on Monday. 

In the post, he thanked fans who reached out to wish him well, before offering an optimistic update on his injury. 

“I’m fine, thank God, and I hope I can soon be on the field again enjoying what I like to do most,” Messi wrote. 

Messi did not make the trip to Buenos Aires with the rest of the Argentine team to celebrate the Copa America title. 

Advertisement

Inter Miami’s next two games are MLS regular season contests before MLS pauses the season for the All-Star Game next Wednesday and then the Leagues Cup, which includes all LIGA MX and MLS clubs. 

Lionel Messi is expected to miss at least two matches. REUTERS

Inter Miami is the defending Leagues Cup champion, and the tournament is viewed as an important event for MLS and its broadcast partner Apple. 

Messi helped drive viewership numbers during last year’s tournament, World Soccer Talk reported.

The regular season will resume for Miami on Aug. 24. 

Martino refused to comment on how Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni used Messi during Copa America, according to the Miami Herald. 

Advertisement

“We were not there in the day-to-day, and it would be out of place for me to talk about that,” Martino said.





Source link

Miami, FL

Motorcyclist killed in crash on Biscayne Boulevard, deputies say

Published

on

Motorcyclist killed in crash on Biscayne Boulevard, deputies say


A motorcyclist was killed in a crash in northeast Miami-Dade on Tuesday morning, deputies said.

The crash happened on Biscayne Boulevard near Northeast 127th Street and involved a vehicle and a motorcycle, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office officials said.

The driver of the motorcycle was pronounced dead at the scene. Their identity was not released.

The condition of the driver in the vehicle was also not released.

Advertisement

Aerial footage from Chopper 6 showed a yellow tarp covering the body next to the damaged vehicle. The motorcycle was on the ground nearby surrounded by debris.

All southbound lanes on Biscayne Boulevard from Northeast 126th Street to 128th Street have been closed.

The crash was under investigation.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Miami, FL

‘Confident’ Bencic takes out Anisimova, eyes Gauff next in Miami

Published

on

‘Confident’ Bencic takes out Anisimova, eyes Gauff next in Miami


A “super clean and confident” performance from Belinda Bencic earned her an upset of one Top 10-ranked American at the Miami Open on Monday night — and she’s hoping that form carries over into another in less than 24 hours.

Miami: Scores | Draws | Order of play

The No. 12 seed led nearly wire-to-wire in a 6-2, 6-2 thumping of No. 6 seed Amanda Anisimova to put her through to a 12th career WTA 1000 quarterfinal, and second in Miami after she reached the 2022 semifinals. She’ll face another Florida resident, No. 4 seed Coco Gauff, on Tuesday night in the hopes of matching her tournament best from four years ago.

Bencic had good reason to praise her play against Anisimova, in a match that was projected to be a late-afternoon affair but ended up taking the court at 9 p.m. after three of the four matches preceding it on Grandstand stretched to three sets. She landed 87% of her first serves, winning 72% of those points, and hit 19 winners in 14 games to break a 2-2 head-to-head tie against the two-time Grand Slam singles finalist.

Advertisement

She saved the only break point she faced, too, which came when she was already ahead 6-2, 4-1. 

Bencic next looks to complete a personal Sunshine Double of sorts against Gauff as she eyes back-to-back Top 10 victories on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz.

Though the American has won four of their previous six meetings, Bencic’s most-recent win came in the Round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open last year.

More to come…

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Miami, FL

Miami-Dade trainer helps young athletes chase their next big opportunity

Published

on

Miami-Dade trainer helps young athletes chase their next big opportunity


KENDALL, Fla. — With March Madness underway and Division I athletes back in the spotlight, the level of training it takes to compete at the top of college sports is getting plenty of attention.

In Kendall, one coach is working every day to help young athletes reach that level.

Kevin Lopez is the fitness director at D1 Training Kendall, where the focus is helping athletes get stronger, faster and more confident.

For Lopez, the work is personal. His own athletic career started with a similar opportunity growing up in Miami.

Advertisement

“I got trained by a guy down here in Miami who focused on strength and conditioning, specifically for athletes — for kids that are trying develop, improve and go to college,” Lopez said. “It allowed me to be one of the top receivers in that year for our district, which gave me opportunities to go play at Iowa.”

That experience changed his path and ultimately brought him back home.

Now Lopez says his mission is to give other athletes the same type of chance.

“I want to try and help out as many people as I can, to give them that same opportunity, or at least get them as close as they can to reach that if that’s a goal that they have for themselves,” he said.

Inside the gym at D1 Kendall, the training goes well beyond basic workouts.

Advertisement

“We focus on lateral movements, we focus on their agility, their quickness, we focus on building that upper body strength as well,” he said.

Just as important, he says, is helping athletes stay healthy and confident.

“A lot of kids are coming in to build their confidence,” Lopez said. “It’s not just to improve their speed, their agility, their quickness to transition over to the field or to the court.”

The gym has also become a place where athletes feel comfortable pushing themselves.

“We’re just trying to build a community around here,” Lopez said. “We’re trying to expand and touch as many people, as many athletes, as many adults as we can.”

Advertisement

“This is a home for them,” he added. “And they have somewhere they’re going to come, feel at ease, not feel intimidated.”

To learn more about D1 Kendall, visit their website.

Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending