Inter Miami CF has announced that their friendly match against Independiente del Valle in Puerto Rico has been postponed for two weeks. This decision comes after Lionel Messi suffered a muscle strain in his left hamstring during a preseason game against Barcelona SC on Saturday.
Messi started the match against Barcelona SC on February 7 but left the game in the 58th minute, subsequently watching from the sidelines. His injury raises concerns about his availability for Inter Miami’s season opener against LAFC on February 21 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
In a statement released Wednesday, Miami noted: “The Club, in collaboration with the event promoter and the government of Puerto Rico, believes that rescheduling the match will provide the best experience for fans. The match is now set to take place on February 26 at 7 p.m. ET (8 p.m. local time) at Estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, with Independiente del Valle remaining the opponent.”
Earlier that day, the club confirmed, “Messi did not train on February 11 due to a muscle strain in his left hamstring sustained during the match against Barcelona SC in Ecuador, which has continued to affect him. Additional medical tests have confirmed the diagnosis, and his gradual return to training will depend on his clinical and functional recovery in the days ahead.”
Messi also shared a message on social media regarding the match postponement, saying, “Hi everyone, I wanted to reach out to the people of Puerto Rico and all those attending the training session and game. Unfortunately, I suffered a muscle strain during the last game in Ecuador, which is why I came off early. Together with Inter Miami’s management and the event organizers, we’ve decided to postpone this game. We hope it can be rescheduled so we can see each other soon. Thank you all for your support. Looking forward to being with you in the future. Best wishes.”
Inter Miami’s match against Independiente del Valle will now take place in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, on February 26 instead of February 13. This friendly is scheduled to follow the start of the 2026 MLS season.
Previously, in 2024, Messi missed a preseason friendly in Hong Kong due to injury, which drew an unhappy response from local fans. The event organizer subsequently offered partial refunds. At that time, Inter Miami stated, “We recognize that the late announcement caused frustration among our supporters in Hong Kong and the event promoter, Tatler Asia. We must emphasize that injuries are an unfortunate part of the game, and our player’s health is paramount.”