Ex-Players Blast MLS Over Lionel Messi's Injury: 'Protect the Golden Goose'

Lionel Messi's injury will sideline him for at least 15 days. The news that he wouldn’t participate in the next League's Cup game or the matchup against Orlando sent shockwaves through the league, as specialists voiced concern over the MLS’s failure to protect Messi.

An injury that would keep Messi off the field had been anticipated by many broadcasters and fans, as Inter Miami’s schedule has been tight since returning from the Club World Cup. After their Round of 16 loss to Paris Saint-Germain, the team had just one week to prepare for their next MLS fixture — and Messi went on to score a brace in five consecutive games.

The packed schedule raised red flags, and with the start of the League's Cup, the risk of injury grew even higher. Now, as Messi steps away from games and focuses on recovery, one question is echoing across the league: Why didn’t the MLS do more to protect him?

This is exactly what former MLS star Alejandro Moreno expressed live on ESPN.

"If I were Messi, the moment I pulled my hamstring — and I know it’s not just a soft tissue injury, I know it comes from overuse, from constant play, from not getting the recovery I need — I’d be furious." - Moreno said

"Because I also know part of that overuse is due to the fact that, apparently, I’m not allowed to rest. I have to show up for an All-Star Game, and if I don’t, I get suspended for the next match? I would say, flat-out: 'This is what I’m about. This is what I’ve been saying. You need to take care of me.' You have to protect the golden goose." - Alejandro Moreno said live in Football Americas.