ANDInter Miami had a huge scare last Thursday, due to a violent kick that its top figure, the Argentine Lionel Messi, received. The action occurred in the match they tied 2-2 with Nashville as a visitor, in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Concachampions.
In the 78th minute of that match, Messi received a hard blow while trying to cover a ball on the wing by Lukas MacNaughton.
After clearing the ball, the defender hit the left leg of the Argentine star with the iron, who was lying on the grass for a few minutes in great pain. The referee, the Mexican Marco Ortiz, did not even give him a yellow card.
Messi complained to another Nashville player, Shaquell Moore, and reminded him of the way MacNaughton left the Guayos' marks on him. Fortunately for the Argentine, the blow had no major consequences and he was able to finish the match without problems.
The coach of Inter Miami, also Argentine Gerardo Martino, gave a calm report that day. “He finished the game well, tired,” he said. “Fatigue in the posterior (muscles). Something logical, that's why the massages, but it's fine,” he added.
This is how Lukas MacNaughton saw the kick he gave Messi
The second leg will be played this Wednesday and MacNaughton appeared at the pre-game press conference. And he gave a surprising statement about the kick he gave Messi. He doesn't regret what he did.
“I've swept enough players in my career; it is what it is, it's just one more sweep,” said MacNaughton, 29 years old, born in Brussels (Belgium), but a Canadian national.
MacNaughton has received many insults and negative comments on his networks, which the Canadian downplayed. “Abuse on social networks? It's the same everywhere, it's people online. I'm ready to play, it doesn't affect me,” he said.
Martino did not take Messi into account in Sunday's match against Montreal in the MLS: he saved him for the Concachampions match, in search of an international title that would allow Inter Miami to access the new Fifa Club World Cup. Without the Argentine star, the team lost 2-3 at home.
SPORTS
With AFP
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