Inter Miami head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino has confirmed that Lionel Messi will be playing in the upcoming match against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This comes after Messi suffered a right ankle sprain during the 2024 Copa América final on July 14 and has been out of action since then.
“He’s fine,” Martino stated confidently. “Yesterday he returned to training. He is contemplated for tomorrow’s game and after training we will define the strategy for him, but he is available. We are going to once again have the best player in the world within the team so we are all happy about that situation.”
There were concerns about Messi’s availability when he missed training on Wednesday due to a sore throat. However, Martino clarified that his illness only lasted one day and he was back on the field participating in Thursday’s session as well as Friday morning’s training.
“Yes [there was concern], because it came together a bit with everything, the recovery of the ankle and just that throat condition he had, which prevented him from training,” Martino explained.
Inter Miami currently holds first place in both the Supporters’ Shield and Eastern Conference standings with an impressive 59 points from 27 games. They are also on track to break Major League Soccer’s record for most points recorded in a single regular season. The team has already secured a spot in this year’s MLS playoffs after failing to qualify last year.
The return of Lionel Messi is undoubtedly a boost for Inter Miami as they continue their quest for success this season. Fans can look forward to seeing him back on the pitch against Philadelphia Union this weekend.
