Inter Miami loses attacker Facundo Farías for the season with a torn ACL

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Inter Miami attacker Facundo Farías, who came on as a substitute for Lionel Messi during the team’s opening preseason match, has a torn ACL in his left knee and will miss the entire season.

The team made the announcement on Saturday.

Farías was hurt about 20 minutes into the second half of Friday’s game at El Salvador. He had replaced Messi at halftime of the match, which ended in a 0-0 draw.

The match against El Salvador’s national team was the first of seven preseason contests — in five different countries — for Inter Miami. The team plays at FC Dallas on Monday, then leaves for Saudi Arabia for matches against Al-Hilal and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr on Jan. 29 and Feb. 1.

From there, the team travels to a match in Hong Kong on Feb. 4, Japan on Feb. 7 and back home for a preseason finale against the Argentinian side Newell’s Old Boys — Messi’s hometown team — on Feb. 15.

The 21-year-old Farías signed with Inter Miami last summer through the 2026 season, the Argentinian’s arrival coming a few weeks after Messi decided to come to Major League Soccer and sign with the team. There are options for 2027 and 2028 as part of Farías’ deal.

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