<<Print>>

Lionel Messi is as frustrated as anybody at having to sit out crucial fixtures in Inter Miami’s bid to reach the MLS play-offs, says Sergio Busquets.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has played just 37 minutes for the Florida-based franchise since returning from 2026 World Cup qualifying duty with Argentina nursing an untimely knock. He has sat out four successive fixtures – including a painful 4-1 defeat to the Chicago Fire last time out.

That result may have ended Inter Miami’s hopes of reaching the post-season, with even Messi’s special brand of magic unlikely to be enough to get them over that line. Busquets has shared his thoughts on seeing a talismanic presence ruled out of Tata Martino’s plans: “The first person who wants Leo to be on the field is Leo. Second is us, his teammates, because we know how important he is for us. It’s a shame, but in the world of football you can’t control injuries.”