Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi could return this Saturday against FC Cincinnati after dealing with a month-long leg injury.

Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi could be back on the field as early as Saturday’s match against first-place FC Cincinnati, according to the Miami Herald. Messi, who has grown frustrated with a leg injury that he has been dealing with, aggravated a scar tissue injury while playing in a World Cup qualifier for Argentina.

Inter Miami coach Tata Martino was particularly more optimistic about Messi’s return this week than he had over the previous couple of weeks.

“I think he’s getting closer to playing again,” Martino said. “We’ll evaluate him Friday to see if he’s in condition to play Saturday. The most important thing is him putting his injury behind and slowly returning to his best form.”

Midfield Sergio Busquets, Messi’s former FC Barcelona teammate, revealed that his good buddy could be back soon. “He is practically ready to return,” he said. “Which is great because he is a very important player and we need him; but he can’t force it because then we could lose him again.”

Messi has been out of Inter Miami’s last three games and has been on the field for just 37 minutes since rejoining the team from World Cup qualifying duty. Inter Miami did not win in any of the four games the Argentinian superstar sat out.

Messi’s absence has placed Miami’s playoff hopes up in the air. That may continue to be the case considering Messi may return to Argentina to play a couple of upcoming World Cup qualifying games.

Should Messi suit up in their game against Peru, he will most likely not be able to play in Inter Miami’s second-to-the-last game of the season against Charlotte FC. This could spell doom for the Florida-based team.