ORLANDO, Fla. -- Inter Miami star Lionel Messi will not play in Sunday’s showdown against Orlando City at Exploria Stadium.
During Wednesday night’s match against Toronto, Messi was substituted out of the match in the first half due to what head coach Tata Martino is calling “muscle fatigue.”
After Inter Miami’s 4-0 win vs Toronto, Martino announced that Messi and teammate Jordi Alba will not play Sunday vs Orlando City. Messi previously missed the team’s match on September 16 against Atlanta due to muscle fatigue.
When Messi joined Inter Miami over the summer, fans started paying hundreds of dollars to get a ticket to Sunday’s match. Some fans paid upwards of $1,000 to see the match.
In advance of Sunday’s showdown, Orlando City clinched a MLS Playoff spot because of D.C. United’s draw with Atlanta.
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