Lionel Messi to remain sidelined for Inter Miami through international break

Lionel Messi will not play Saturday when Inter Miami visits Chicago, meaning he will have at least two more weeks to continue recovering from an ankle injury.

It’ll be the ninth consecutive Major League Soccer match and 15th league match overall this season that Messi has missed for Inter Miami, which has the top record in the league and has already clinched a playoff berth. He hasn’t played for the club since June 1, missing time first while playing for Argentina in the Copa América tournament and then because of the ankle issue.

Messi was injured while playing for Argentina in the Copa América final on July 14. He returned to group training with Inter Miami earlier this week.

By not playing Saturday, it means the earliest that Messi will participate in a match again is Sept. 14, when Inter Miami faces Philadelphia. He was not selected to play in Argentina’s World Cup qualifying matches in early September.

Messi has 12 goals and 13 assists in 12 MLS games this season.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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