Inter Miami are edging closer to getting German Berterame back on the field, with head coach Guillermo Hoyos offering an encouraging update on the striker’s recovery from the head injury he suffered last month.
Speaking in a press conference ahead of the Leagues Cup clash against Club Leon, Hoyos referred to the forward’s situation. “Berterame is recovered, we’re waiting on the timelines the federation determines, but we have a few more days,” the coach explained.
Berterame’s injury occurred on July 25 during Inter Miami’s MLS win over CF Montreal, when he collided with defender Efrain Morales while contesting a cross. The Mexican international was knocked unconscious and had to be stretchered off before being taken to a hospital. He missed roughly two weeks of action before returning to training with the club on August 7.
According to Hoyos, Berterame has now been cleared physically, but his official return to play still hinges on the federation’s own concussion protocol timeline rather than the club’s internal medical staff.
Medics carry German Berterame #19 of Inter Miami CF into an ambulance. (Getty Images)
Unlike Lionel Messi‘s uncertain return date, which remains open-ended, Berterame’s case appears to be nearing its final stretch, with Hoyos suggesting the forward could be available again within days rather than weeks.
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Lionel Messi reportedly set to return to Miami on Wednesday, but availability for Club Leon’s Leagues Cup clash remains unlikely
MLS’s concussion protocol: How the league handles head injuries
MLS activates a strict set of procedures whenever a player takes a blow to the head during a match. The league runs a Medical Spotter Program, in which trained medical staff monitor live video feeds throughout every game specifically looking for signs of a possible head injury.
If a Spotter identifies what the league classifies as a “Mandatory Observable Sign,” they immediately flag the incident to the Venue Medical Director, who is then required to review the footage before conducting an on-field assessment.
Crucially, a player cannot return to the match until the Venue Medical Director has both reviewed the available video and cleared them through that on-field evaluation.
From there, MLS relies on the HEADCHECK platform — described as the digital backbone of the league’s concussion policy — to track symptom checklists and monitor the player’s return-to-sport progress in the days and weeks that follow, which is the process Berterame has been working through since his collision with Montreal.
