Apple and MLS are offering the league’s full slate of matches for free this weekend, but the top draw isn’t expected to be around.
Per a Thursday release, Apple TV will offer the entire MLS schedule on March 16 and 17 for free, with no Season Pass membership required.
Unfortunately for fans, the new face of the league Lionel Messi (featured in a graphic advertising the promotion sent out on Thursday) isn’t expected to play.
On Wednesday night, after Inter Miami’s 3-1 win over Nashville SC in the Concacaf Champions League, Inter Miami manager Tata Martino said he assumed Messi “won’t be available” for Saturday’s match with DC United due to a leg injury.
Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said after the game that Messi will likely miss Saturday’s MLS match at D.C. United while the team takes a cautious approach to the superstar’s injury.
“I don’t want to take any risks but I imagine that he won’t be available for Saturday’s game,” Martino said. “That’s the only thing I can say about it now. We’ll have some tests soon and we’ll see how he feels.”
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“Leo has a muscle overload in his right leg. We don’t want to take any kind of risk with him,” Martino added. “We tried to see if he could last a little longer after halftime, but it was bothering him, so we preferred to take him out the game.”
On one hand, Messi not playing would be a brutal blow on a free weekend, with many fans likely not tuning in knowing they can’t see him play. On the other hand, it’s an opportunity for MLS to showcase and highlight other players.
At any rate, it’s a tough blow for MLS to put so much emphasis on Messi this season, only for him to likely sit out when fans would have been able to watch him for free.
[MLS]
