Lionel Messi Suffered 'Minor' Leg Muscle Injury During Inter Miami's Leagues Cup Match

Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi reportedly suffered a "minor muscle injury in his right leg" during Saturday's Leagues Cup match against Necaxa, according to a statement from the club.

Messi was forced to leave the pitch with the injury and underwent medical tests to evaluate the extent of the muscle discomfort he experienced." A timeline for his return to the pitch remains to be determined based on his "clinical progress and response to treatment."

The 38-year-old Messi suffered the injury early in the contest, which Inter Miami ultimately won 2-2 (5-4 in penalties), moving to 2-0 in Leagues Cup play. Inter Miami currently sits second on the MLS side of the table on five points, trailing only Portland (six points).

But the bigger concern was obviously the status of the club's superstar forward.

"Well, he felt a discomfort, and we will not be able to know until tomorrow how severe the injury is," head coach Javier Mascherano told reporters after the match on Saturday. "There's probably something there. Maybe not as important, because he was really not in pain. But he did feel a pull."

Injuries have been a storyline this year, as Messi previously dealt with adductor and thigh strain issues and missed Argentina's qualifiers in March. He recently skipped the MLS All-Star Game due to accumulated fatigue from playing a busy Inter Miami schedule, which earned him a one-game suspension.

When healthy, Messi is easily the most dominant player in MLS, putting up 18 goals and nine assists in 18 league appearances this season. Inter Miami will hope this weekend's injury is ultimately only a short-term issue.