Argentina captain Lionel Messi downplayed concerns about his fitness after suffering an upper leg injury in the Albiceleste’s 1-0 victory over Chile in their Copa America Group A match.
The 37-year-old received treatment on the pitch after a clash with Gabriel Suazo in the 24th minute of Tuesday’s duel at MetLife Stadium.
He continued playing but struggled to make his customary impact as the reigning champions clinched a quarterfinal berth.
“It’s bothering me a little, but I was able to finish the match,” Messi told reporters. “It was hard for me to move freely, particularly side to side.”
The Inter Miami forward revealed he had also grappled with flu-like symptoms in the lead-up to the game.
“For the past couple of days, I’ve had a sore throat with a fever. Maybe that took its toll on me too,” he said.
Argentina’s last group-stage match will be against Peru in Miami on Saturday.
Messi did not rule out the prospect of being rested for the duel at the 65,000-capacity Hard Rock Stadium.
“There are many games in a row and a lot of trips, so we will start to think about what is coming,” the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star added.
