The Argentina captain is targeting a third successive international trophy and could miss a significant stretch of the MLS season.
William GittinsWillGittUpdate: May 31st, 2024 10:12 EDT0
CHANDAN KHANNAAFP
Inter Miami are preparing for their final game with Lionel Messi before the team captain joins up with the Argentina national team for this summer’s Copa América.
The Herons take on St. Louis City SC at Chase Stadium on Saturday, looking to bounce back from a drab showing in a 3-1 midweek loss to Atlanta United. Messi has been the heartbeat a resurgent Inter Miami team since his arrival last July. However the veteran superstar has struggled with fitness issues during his time in MLS, forcing him to miss around a third of the Herons’ games.
He will leave officially meet up with his international teammates on Monday 3 June and will not play another game with Miami until Argentina exit the tournament. The Copa América final will take place on Saturday 14 July, meaning that Messi could miss as many as six MLS games.
Which games could Messi miss for Inter Miami?
Philadelphia Union (A) – 15 JuneColumbus Crew (H) – 19 JuneNashville SC (A) – 29 JuneCharlotte FC (A) – 3 JulyFC Cincinnati (A) – 6 JulyToronto FC (H) – 17 July
How will Inter Miami replace Lionel Messi?
For all the excitement of Lionel Messi’s headline-grabbing first year in MLS, Inter Miami are yet to prove that they can really compete without the Argentine in the team. So far in 2024 Inter Miami have won just two of the six MLS games that Messi has missed, while they have won eight our of 11 with him in the team.
However that trend has flipped around in the last week, as Miami followed up an impressive Messi-less road win over the Vancouver Whitecaps with a 3-1 loss to Atlanta with Messi back in the starting XI. Nevertheless, over the course of six games the Herons need to find an alternative to Messi’s creativity.
