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      Lionel Messi pulls up injured in training and limps through session in huge Inter Miami blow

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      LIONEL MESSI worried Inter Miami fans by picking up an innocuous injury in training.The David Beckham-owned franchise lock horns with MLS rivals Philadelphia Union in a Leagues Cup semi-final on Tuesday night.

      Lionel Messi has been a revelation since joining Inter MiamiCredit: EPA
      But he’s a doubt for their Leagues Cup match with Philadelphia Union after appearing to suffer a foot injuryCredit: GETTY
      The competition could present Messi with an opportunity to win a trophy just weeks into his time with the Floridians.
      But Miami could be without their star man – who appeared to injure his left foot in training.
      The 36-year-old caught his left foot in the turf after receiving a pass from one of his team-mates and immediately pulled up.
      Messi began limping around the pitch but shook off the jarring pain before playing the ball back to one of his colleagues.
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      The Barcelona icon’s knock was quickly played down by coach Tata Martino – who insisted everything was “normal” with the footie superstar.
      When quizzed about the injury, the Argentine said: “I didn’t see exactly what happened.
      “But I imagine that if it had been something serious they would all been scandalized.
      “And since they were all well, I think nothing happened.”
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      Messi joined Inter on a free transfer last month following the expiration of his contract with French champions Paris Saint-Germain.
      The Argentina international has been nothing short of a revelation for the club, scoring eight goals in five appearances in all competitions.
      Upon his arrival in Florida, Messi said: “I am very happy to have chosen to come to this city with my family, to have chosen this project and I have no doubt that we are going to enjoy it very much.
      “We are going to have a good time and great things are going to happen.
      “Thank you very much, thank you all for this day.
      “I can’t wait to start training to compete.
      “I feel the same desire I’ve always had to compete, to really want to win and to help it (Inter Miami) continue to grow.” More

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      Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami scoring rate could be set to land punter over £22,000

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      LIONEL MESSI has had an unbelievable start at Inter Miami.Well, it would be unbelievable if it was anyone but Messi.
      Messi has Inter Miami fans dreaming of gloryCredit: Reuters
      The Argentinian superstar has racked up an incredible seven goals in four games in the Leagues Cup so far.
      That includes a dramatic late free kick against Dallas in the previous round, which levelled the score at 4-4.
      It also saw the 36-year-old become the club’s fourth-highest scorer of all time – after four appearances.
      And should he keep up that goalscoring rate moving forward and back in the MLS, it could go some way to helping one Bet365 punter towards a staggering £22,000 pay out.
      The bettor shared his bet slip on Twitter, showing a £50 double staked on a Lionel Messi x Inter Miami double.
      The first part involves Inter Miami winning The Leagues Cup which was a 10/1 shot when placed.
      The punter’s Messi x Inter Miami double
      David Beckham’s side are now the 2/1 favourites having reached the quarter final stage.
      The second part looked a tall order, with Messi to finish as MLS Top Goalscorer at huge 40/1 odds.
      When the league resumes, he’ll start 13 goals behind Hany Mukhtar of Nashville with 12 games to go.
      Given his blistering start, he’s projected to hit 21 goals at the same scoring rate he’s started, which would certainly put him in the mix.
      And the bookmaker agrees, slashing his odds to 15/4 second favourite BEFORE he’s kicked a ball in the competition.
      That’s left the punter with a dilemma after being offered a £605 cash out already.
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      For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites. More

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      Lionel Messi sparks ‘CHEAT’ storm after stunning last-gasp free-kick as legend sees MLS debut POSTPONED

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      LIONEL MESSI is at the centre of a stunning “CHEAT” storm.The football superstar, 36, has had an electric start to life in America after scoring seven goals in four games.
      Lionel Messi has been embroiled in a ‘cheat’ storm following his free-kick vs FC DallasCredit: Reuters
      Fans spotted Messi moving the ball slightly before taking his free-kickCredit: TikTok @comtrax_chicafitbolivia
      Messi moved the ball while the ref had his back turnedCredit: TikTok @comtrax_chicafitbolivia
      And some fans remarkably labelled him a ‘cheat’Credit: TikTok @comtrax_chicafitbolivia
      This video of Lionel Messi slowly and sneakily moving the ball a few feet to the left so he has a better angle on his free kick is a good reminder that even the world’s best athletes are constantly looking for an edge.pic.twitter.com/0WH9Jv9Pup— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) August 8, 2023

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      His exploits included a stunning 85th minute free-kick against FC Dallas to send Inter Miami into extra-time of the Leagues Cup, before his side won the tie 5-3 on penalties.
      However, the Argentine World Cup winner has now sensationally been accused of “cheating” by some fans.
      Footage of the game shows Messi standing over the ball before his free-kick.
      And in the footage, the ex-Barcelona star can be seen inching the ball forward while the ref tends to the defensive wall.
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      The minor adjustments proved to be beneficial, with Messi nestling the set-piece into the top corner.
      But fans online were left split over the act.
      Taking to Twitter, one fan wrote: “This video of Lionel Messi slowly and sneakily moving the ball a few feet to the left so he has a better angle on his free kick is a good reminder that even the world’s best athletes are constantly looking for an edge.”
      A second argued: “‘Looking for an edge’ is the new way to refer to cheating, lol. And yes, i know that many others do the same…. and yes, i think they all cheat (because it’s against the rules).”
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      “Considering where the ball ended up going in, these slight movements made all the difference in actually scoring. That’s artistic genius by Messi,” remarked a third.
      A fourth hit back: “Cheating. You mean cheating.”
      Meanwhile, a fifth replied: “First time watching a football match? Every match this happens 100 times.”
      Another claimed: “What a cheater 😂.”
      Thanks to Inter’s progression in the Leagues Cup, Messi’s full Major League Soccer debut has been delayed.
      He had been due to make his MLS debut on August 20 against Charlotte FC.
      However, with the Herons progressing into the quarter-finals, the fixture has now been pushed back with the two sides set to meet at the PNK DRV Stadium on Friday.
      And with the semi-finals set to commence on August 19, one team will be unable to fulfil the original fixture slot.
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      Incredibly, just one month after making his debut, Messi already sits joint-fourth in Inter’s all-time goalscorer charts.
      And at the rate he is going he will have no problem catching compatriot Gonzalo Higuain, who sits top with 29 goals. More

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      MLS fans slam ‘terrible competitors’ as they spot what Dallas stars did to heroic Lionel Messi after loss to Inter Miami

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      DALLAS FC stars were slammed by fans for trying to get a picture with Lionel Messi after he led Inter Miami’s amazing comeback against them. The Argentine helped Inter Miami fight back from 4-2 down to reach the League Cup quarter-finals.

      But MLS fans are disappointed with Dallas players for asking the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner for a photo after throwing away their lead.
      One fan on social media said the Toros stars are “terrible competitors”.
      While another fan added: “They don’t care that they just lost”.
      A third fan wrote: “The same used to happen in ligue 1 tbf, everyone is a messi fan”.

      Messi opened the scoring after only six minutes before Dallas turned the game on its head.
      Heading into the final ten minutes, Dallas led 4-2 in the scorching heat.

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      As temperatures soared to 37 degrees Messi decided to turn up the heat even further, firing a cross to force Dallas’s Marco Farhean to head in an own goal.
      Then with five minutes to go the 36-year-old smashed a free-kick into the top corner to send the game into penalties.
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      The football legend then scored Miami’s first spot kick before Paxton Pomykal missed for Dallas, allowing the Herons to win 5-3. 
      Inter Miami are now through to the quarter-finals of the League Cup, where they will take on Houston Dynamo or Charlotte.  
      Meanwhile, the game has also made Messi the joint fourth-highest scorer in Inter Miami’s history – after only joining the club less than a month ago.
      The Argentine has scored seven goals in just four appearances and is now level with current team-mate Josef Martinez as well as former stars Lewis Morgan and Rodolfo Pizarro.

      Gonzalo Higuain tops the leaderboard with 29 goals and current inter players Leo Campana and Robert Taylor have 16 and eight goals respectively.
      Inter Miami was only founded in January 2018 by England legend David Beckham along with Jorge and Jose Mas.
      But it might not be long until Messi becomes the club’s all-time leading scorer.
      The 36-year-old is already Barcelona’s top marksman ever with a remarkable 672 goals, and he is also the record holder for Argentina with 103.
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      Dallas stars ask Lionel Messi for a photo after their defeat against Inter Miami More

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      Watch RACCOON fall through ceiling and try to steal popcorn in MLS club’s press box as fans joke ‘they found new mascot’

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      REPORTERS at a Leagues Cup match in Utah were left stunned after a RACCOON unexpectedly fell into the press box.Prior to the clash between MLS side Real Salt Lake and Liga MX outfit Leon at America First Field on Thursday, the wild animal fell through a gap in the ceiling and crashed onto a table.
      A raccoon fell into the press box at America First FieldCredit: Twitter @calebturner23
      It then attempted to steal popcorn from a machineCredit: Twitter @calebturner23
      It then scurried over to a popcorn machine in an attempt to get food, leaving onlookers gobsmacked.
      One reporter, named Caleb Turner, filmed the incident unfold and posted the video on Twitter.
      The clip prompted a hilarious reaction from some fans, with one person tweeting: “Looks like he just smelled the popcorn and wanted some.”
      Another questioned: “Ok but did someone get him his popcorn?”
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      A third joked: “Looks like Rocket has had a rough time since the Guardians of the Galaxy.”
      While one fan even suggested that Real Salt Lake change their mascot, adding: “Real Salt Lake immediately needs to change their mascot to #rocket the #raccoon and give this raccoon unlimited popcorn please.”
      After roaming around the press box, the raccoon then ran onto the stadium concourse among thousands of fans.
      The match between Real Salt Lake and Leon had been delayed due to torrential rain, so a huge crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of the animal.
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      It then hung itself off a balcony while three people attempted a rescue mission.
      However, just before they were able to catch the raccoon, it fell to the ground floor and ran off again.
      The animal was eventually caught by members of security before they took it back outside.
      After all the chaos, the match was postponed until Friday due to the weather. More

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      Lionel Messi Scores Twice for Inter Miami in Win Over Orlando

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      Messi is scoring in bunches and last-place Inter Miami is a contender in the Leagues Cup. Could an M.L.S. playoff push be next?When it was announced that Lionel Messi was coming to Major League Soccer, there was excitement, of course. But there were also doubts. Would he treat his stay in the league as a retirement tour or even a vacation? Would the lower stakes lead to less effort? Would his age — 36 — catch up to him?In retrospect, it should have been obvious. It turns out that if you put the best player of his generation into M.L.S., less than two years removed from winning the Ballon d’Or as the game’s best player, and less than a year since he was named best player at the World Cup, he is going to be really, really good.Really good.Messi had two more goals on Wednesday night, bringing his total to five in his three games for his new team, Inter Miami. Still saddled with the worst record in the league, Inter is playing with panache, and Messi, at times, looks unstoppable.Messi’s arrival after two years at Paris St.-Germain coincided with the start of the Leagues Cup, a newly expanded tournament for teams from M.L.S. and Mexico’s Liga MX.He entered his first game on July 21 against Cruz Azul of Mexico early in the second half. And perhaps with the flair of a showman he waited until deep into injury time to hit a free kick from behind the circle over the wall and in the corner of the net to break a 1-1 tie.Eight minutes into his first start on July 25 against Atlanta, Messi was sprung clear, barely onside. He hit the post but slotted in the rebound. Later in the half, he latched onto a cross and had an easy second goal in what would eventually be a 4-0 win.That put Miami in the round of 32 against Orlando on Wednesday night. In the first half, Messi, completely unmarked, chested down a pass in the box and one-timed it into the net. In the second half, again with lots of space, he took a little chip from Josef Martínez and volleyed it home. Miami won, 3-1.Miami is now four wins away from the Leagues Cup title. Its form is all the more remarkable because the team pre-Messi was, quite simply, bad. It sits dead last of the 29 M.L.S. teams in the league standings with a 5-14-3 record. But that record does not matter at all in the Cup; Miami next travels to Dallas for a round of 16 game on Sunday.Inter Miami made the playoffs last year with a .500 record and was expected to improve with the addition of Martínez. But nothing seemed to go right for the team in the early going.Inter’s midseason revamp did not end with Messi. They also added two former greats at Barcelona, Messi’s longtime club, midfielder Sergio Busquets and defender Jordi Alba, as well as Diego Gómez, a young Paraguayan midfielder. Messi is often said to make his teammates better, and one who seems to have benefited is Robert Taylor, a Finnish wingback, who has been regularly involved in Messi’s attacks and also had two goals of his own in the Atlanta game.It is impossible not to notice that in his games so far, Messi has been getting a lot more space to maneuver than he did in Europe. Of course, Messi is a genius at finding space. But the quality of the defending he is now facing is a clear cut below what he is used to.In Champions League play, it was hardly unusual for him to be swarmed by strong, technically skilled defenders, some of whom had little compunction about pushing the physicality of their challenges to or beyond the legal limit.M.L.S. defenders, whether overawed, less adept positionally or just too slow, haven’t kept anything like the same kind of pressure on him, at least so far. In his third game, Orlando did try to turn up the physicality, but the success of that tactic was debatable given his two goals.Win or lose the Leagues Cup, Miami will return to M.L.S. league play on Aug. 20. With Superman now playing attacking midfielder, can they actually come back and make the playoffs, or even win the title?They are 12 points and six places away from the playoff spots with just 12 games to play. That seems like a big gap. But based on his first three games, Messi looks like he can make a run at bridging it. More

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      Lionel Messi scores two volleys in latest Inter Miami win as awestruck fans say ‘this is art’… and poke fun of PSG

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      LIONEL MESSI scored TWO volleys as Inter Miami continued their perfect record since the Argentine’s arrival with a 3-1 win over Orlando City.The 36-year-old put David Beckham’s MLS side in front in the seventh minute, collecting a pass from Finnish midfielder Robert Taylor, taking it down on his chest and rifling home.
      Lionel Messi’s first goal was a close-range left-footed volleyCredit: AFP

      He then fired home a right-footed volley for his second goal of the gameCredit: AP

      Messi now has five goals in three games for Inter MiamiCredit: Reuters
      Orlando levelled up the Leagues Cup round of 32 tie 10 minutes later through Cesar Araujo.
      But Inter Miami regained the lead six minutes into the second half when Josef Martinez converted from the penalty spot.
      And there was still time for Messi to add a second, dispatching another volley – this time with his right foot – to spark scenes of ecstasy inside the DRV PNK Stadium.
      Messi now has five goals and one assist in just three games for the American outfit.
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      It comes after he experienced an up and down time during his two years with Paris Saint-Germain.
      He contributed 32 goals and 35 assists in 72 games – often turning provider for Kylian Mbappe.
      But he now appears to be the goalscorer again at Inter Miami – with fans hailing his latest performance.
      One said: “This is art.”
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      Another added: “Making MLS look like his backyard, my GOAT.”
      A third replied: “It’s actually crazy how Messi didn’t even receive a single pass like this in two years with PSG…”
      And a fourth responded: “MLS stands for Messi’s League Soccer.”
      Inter Miami will now face FC Dallas on Sunday for a place in the quarter-finals of the Leagues Cup. More

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      Lionel Messi takes wife Antonela house-hunting in Miami.. and finds stunning mansion complete with putting green on ROOF

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      LIONEL MESSI has been snapped house-hunting with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo in Miami.The Argentine legend, 36, recently completed a free transfer to David Beckham’s MLS side Inter Miami.
      Lionel Messi and his family were shown around this houseCredit: MEGA/BACKGRID
      It is located 25 minutes from Inter Miami’s stadiumCredit: MEGA/BACKGRID
      He wore a black t-shirt and white shorts for the house viewingCredit: MEGA/BACKGRID
      Messi’s son wore an Inter Miami shirt while wife Antonela was in white shortsCredit: MEGA/BACKGRID
      Messi was seen on the putting green which is located on the roof terrace of the houseCredit: MEGA/BACKGRID
      And he has made the perfect start on the pitch, scoring three goals in his opening two games.
      They included a stoppage-time free-kick on his debut.
      Now he is looking to improve his lifestyle off the field as he seeks out another residency in the south-east state.
      He already has FOUR apartments on Miami Beach worth a reported £15million.
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      But he has now been seen touring some new homes that he could live in during his stint with the American outfit.
      The Barcelona icon was seen with partner Antonela and one of his sons – who was wearing an Inter Miami shirt with “Messi 10” on the back.
      And the house he was shown had a PUTTING GREEN on the ROOF.
      Messi could be seen watching on as a man sampled the raised golf area.
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      According to Goal, the house is situated “in the prestigious Boca Raton region that sits an hour to the north of Miami, but only 25 minutes from DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale”.
      And the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was all smiles as he got back into his car with his family after the viewing.
      It has been a whirlwind two months for Messi since he chose to join Inter Miami after leaving Paris Saint-Germain.
      Confirming his decision in June, he told Diario Sport and Mundo Deportivo:
      “I’ve taken the decision that I am going to Miami. [I decided] to leave Europe.”
      He then added: “It’s true that I had offers from another European team but I didn’t even think about it because in Europe, my idea was only to go to Barcelona.
      “After winning the World Cup and not being able to go to Barca, it’s time to go to MLS to live football in a different way and enjoy my day to day life more.
      “Obviously with the same responsibility and desire to win, and to do things well, but with more calm.”
      Meanwhile, Beckham recently revealed the ecstasy he experienced after landing Messi.
      He told The Athletic: “I never thought I would have the same feeling as an owner as I had when I was a player.
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      “When I got the phone call, I had the feeling I had when I walked out at Old Trafford or Wembley.
      “I was like, ‘We’ve just beaten all competition to sign the greatest player to ever play our game’.”
      He appears to be looking for more houses to buy in MiamiCredit: MEGA/BACKGRID
      Messi was all smiles with his wife Antonela and one of his sonsCredit: MEGA/BACKGRID
      He had ‘Messi 10’ on the back of his shirtCredit: MEGA/BACKGRID More