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Monterrey manager Fernando Ortiz has addressed his altercation with Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi after their CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday, April 3. The Inter Miami captain confronted the manager over his comments on referee bias before the match, which ended 2-1 in favor of the Mexican side.
Miami were without Messi, who is working his way back from a muscular injury. The Herons had won just one of three games in his absence, further underlining his importance to the team.
On the eve of the game, Monterrey boss Ortiz implied that being a home match, he expects the officials to favor the MLS side due to the importance of the competition to them.
“Everything that surrounds Messi can lead to sporting and non-sporting decisions. I am concerned about the environment, football is business, business does not go the way of Monterrey,” Ortiz said before the game (via USA Today).
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This did not sit well with Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates, including Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba, who confronted the manager and his assistant after the game.
During a media chat after the match, Ortiz did not mention the altercation but said he did not intend to share the details of the conversation.
"What happened is going to stay there. I am not going to give a statement regarding that.”
Monterrey manager's prediction proved untrue as Inter Miami players felt cheated by the refereeing on the day. They finished the game with ten men after David Ruiz's second-half sending-off and received several bookings.
Lionel Messi watched on from the stands as his teammates struggled in his absence, surely wishing he could help the team. He is expected to return for the second leg against the Liga MX side in Mexico on Wednesday (April 10).
Lionel Messi set to return for Inter Miami against Colorado Rapids
Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi will likely make his return from injury when his side face Colorado Rapids in the MLS on Saturday (April 6). The 36-year-old Argentine trained throughout the week and has been named in the squad for the game by coach Gerardo Martino.
Messi has not featured since March 13 when he injured his hamstring during a 3-1 win against Nashville SC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Since then, he has missed four games for the club, and another two for the Argentina national team.
Martino will likely introduce his talismanic forward off the bench in the second half to enable him to get back to full fitness this weekend. If fit, he will play a huge role in his side's Champions Cup quarterfinal second leg against Monterrey.
