Lukas MacNaughton spoke about his blow to Lionel Messi, a few hours before the rematch in the Concachampions

Lukas MacNaughton, Nashville defender, went to dispute a ball with Lionel Messi 32 minutes into the second half. In his haste to repel the pressure of the number 10, he touched the ball, but left the sole stretched, right at the Argentine’s left (and so precious) leg.

This was the terrible football against Messi

Unusually, the attacker wasn’t even booked and VAR didn’t call the referee to review the action. MacNaughton tried to approach and explain the play to 10, but he immediately made a stern gesture, understandably angry. The doctors treated him and, fortunately, he was able to continue on the pitch.

Days later, the defender spoke at a press conference and removed the drama of what happened. “I’ve run over enough players in my career, it is what it is, it’s just another run over.”he condemned.

He was later asked about the enormous amount of insults and complaints he received on social networks, and he too downplayed them: “Social media abuse? It’s the same everywhere, it’s people online. I’m ready to play, it doesn’t affect me.”

The reasons for Messi’s absence against Montreal

Leo, not even the support for the MLS: all his weapons are now aimed at the Concachampions.

Logical, in a certain sense predictable… Lionel Messi did not play against Montreal in MLS (Inter Miami lost 3-2) after the kick suffered against Nashville in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Concachampions and, in fact, thinking about the rematch on Wednesday.

Precisely because it was Messi, the doubt was there until the team arrived at the DRV PNK stadium and the starting line-up that Tata Martino chose for the fourth day of the tournament was revealed. An 11 that also didn’t have Lucho Suárez and Sergio Busquets from the start (both of whom went to the bench).

In fact, Leo had not participated in training on Saturday with the rest of his teammates and an image of him with a Newell’s fan was even made public in which ice could be seen on his left leg, the one that suffered the very hard blow.

Messi had started the official season in full force with Inter Miami, with four complete matches: three in MLS (victories against Real Salt Lake and Orlando City and a draw against the Los Angeles Galaxy) and in the 2-2 against Nashville. In those games he scored four goals and was, obviously, fundamental.

The rematch with Nashville for a place in the quarter-finals of the Concachampions is on Wednesday evening and everyone expects Leo to be in 10 and not, obviously, in a box as we saw with Antonela Roccuzzo and her children on Sunday afternoon.

Martino’s argument

“We talked about it a week ago. We agreed that this was the game in which he should rest. So we did,” explained the coach, who was very angry with rival Montreal, because according to him he gained time and The referee didn’t add what he should have.

The five changes

Messi wasn’t the only starter this week who didn’t play this Sunday, he was the only one of the five who left who didn’t even go to the bench. The other four Nashville starters and substitutes this Sunday were Nicolás Freire, Sergio Busquets, Diego Gómez and Lucho Suárez (all four came on late in the half during the 2-3 draw). And those who entered were David Ruiz, Jordi Alba, Lawson Sunderland, Robert Taylor and the Ecuadorian Campana.

The 11 chosen by Tata were Callender; Ruiz, Avilés, Kryvtsov, Allen, Jordi Alba; Gressel, Redondo, Sunderland; Taylor and Campana.