Lionel Messi’s absence in Inter Miami’s CONCACAF Champions Cup match against Cavalier SC came as a surprise to fans, as the club had not issued any injury updates regarding his condition. After the match, head coach Javier Mascherano addressed Messi’s fitness concerns following his absence in the last two games.
Just like in the Major League Soccer game against Houston Dynamo, Messi’s unavailability was not confirmed until matchday. When asked about the superstar’s fitness, Mascherano provided more details on his current status:
“I go by what the doctors say, and they’ve told me that he has no injury or any muscle strain. He is experiencing fatigue from playing three games in six days, the climate changes, and many other factors,” Mascherano explained in his post-match press conference.
He then clarified the reasoning behind resting Messi and emphasized the need for the team to step up in his absence. “Since we want to take care of him and avoid worsening that fatigue, we decided to give him some rest, fully aware of the risks that come with it,” he said. “Not having the best player in the world is difficult, but we also need to step up and learn to play without him,” the coach ended.
Messi played 249 out of 270 possible minutes in Inter Miami’s first three matches of the season—both legs against Sporting Kansas City and the MLS opener against New York City FC. The demanding schedule over six days appears to have caused fatigue, though the Argentine has attended every training session. He is expected to return on Sunday against Charlotte.
Inter Miami to visit Jamaica for second leg vs. Cavalier
Despite Messi’s absence, Inter Miami secured a 2-0 win at Chase Stadium against Cavalier. However, the team struggled in the first half, nearly conceding after a disallowed goal due to offside. Mascherano analyzed the team’s performance post-game:
“In the first half, we attacked poorly, we weren’t organized, and we lost the ball in areas where we shouldn’t have. Those transitions caused us a lot of damage. In the second half, we struggled at first, but then we got organized and suffered less from those transitions,” the coach stated.
Given Inter Miami’s comfortable lead, concerns are now emerging over whether Messi will travel to Jamaica for the Champions Cup Round of 16 second leg on Thursday—similar to the situation with Houston Dynamo.
With a sold-out stadium, even Cavalier players, such as Shad San Millan, have expressed excitement about seeing Messi. However, his availability remains uncertain and will only be confirmed in the coming days.