Lionel Messi ‘fully fit’ ahead of Inter Miami’s MLS opener

Inter Miami coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino has said Lionel Messi has “fully recovered” from injury ahead of his team’s MLS opener against Salt Lake City on Feb. 21.

Messi, 36, struggled with a groin problem during Inter Miami’s international tour but started in their final preseason game against his boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys in a 1-1 draw on Thursday.

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“I see him fully recovered,” Martino said of Messi after the game.

“It is true that we are playing him little by little. Tonight he played almost 60 minutes and the idea is that he arrives well prepared for the [league] debut on the 21st.”

Messi missed a Feb. 4 preseason win in Hong Kong because of nagging injuries.

He stayed on the bench for the entire game with a groin problem as fans booed and demanded refunds.

Martino said he was pleased with Messi’s performance on Thursday.

“From what I saw today on the field, the way he teamed up and how he arrived in the area, I saw him very well,” he said.

“This game was important to have a good feeling for our season opener.”

Thursday’s game in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was an emotional one for both Messi and Martino. It was the first time the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner faced his boyhood club.

Messi supported Old Boys as a youth and played for them between 1995-2000 before joining Barcelona.

Messi wrote on Instagram after the game: “A very special game to end preseason!!!”

Martino, who played and coached Old Boys and holds the record for most club appearances, said: “It was about meeting friends and many people with whom we have shared very special moments.

“For many of us who have such a beautiful bond with Newell’s, it was a special game.”

For Newell’s players, the game was a chance to play against their hero.

“We were able to give some minutes to some of our young players,” Newell’s coach Mauricio Larriera said.

Asked what it meant for his players to face Messi, he added “You could see on their faces how happy they were.”