Argentina secured a 1-0 victory over Chile in their second group stage match of the Copa America, sparking concern among media and fans about Messi’s potential injury during the game. Messi himself confirmed in a post-match interview that he felt discomfort during the match but that the extent of the injury still needs further confirmation.
Around the 24th minute of the match, Messi seemed to realize something was amiss and gestured towards the coaching staff on the bench, indicating discomfort. The coaching staff responded swiftly, with the team doctor providing ice and massage to the affected area. Messi quickly returned to the game and ultimately played the entire match.
After the match, reporters inquired about his condition in the mixed zone, to which Messi replied: “I don’t know yet (about the injury) and it’s bothering me. I was able to continue playing, so hopefully it’s nothing serious. I didn’t feel a sting in the injured area, it was just some tightness in the muscle, affecting my movement on the pitch. It’s not an old injury. I’ll get a more detailed checkup tomorrow to see how it is. I’ve had a sore throat and a bit of a fever for the past two days, which may have also impacted my performance today.”
Having practically secured top spot in the group, Messi hinted that Argentina might implement rotation for their final match against Peru. “We’ll see how I recover over the next few days, but we’ve taken a solid step today, securing qualification. Now we have to consider the impact of the long flight and the consecutive matches on the team,” he said. Argentina head coach Scaloni also confirmed in the post-match press conference that he would carefully discuss further plans with Messi.
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