Lionel Messi's absence from Argentina's forthcoming friendlies against El Salvador and Costa Rica has been confirmed due to a right hamstring injury, as announced by the country's association on Monday. The Argentine captain sustained the injury during last week's Concacaf Champions Cup match against Nashville, prompting an early substitution in the second half and his subsequent omission from Saturday's league fixture against D.C. United.
Inter Miami CF coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino provided insights into Messi's injury status, indicating that the evaluation of his condition will be ongoing on a week-by-week basis. Despite initially being named in Argentina's squad for the upcoming international matches, Messi's withdrawal was necessitated by the injury setback, as confirmed by the AFA update.
There remains a possibility for Messi to join the national team later in the week to undergo a portion of his rehabilitation process under their medical staff's supervision before returning to Florida. As preparations for the Copa America intensify, Argentina faces challenges with injuries, having already lost key players like Paulo Dybala and Exequiel Palacios. Nonetheless, the squad is pressing forward with their preparations, with several players already assembling in Philadelphia ahead of the friendlies, which serve as crucial warm-up matches before the continental tournament in June and July.
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