Is Lionel Messi playing for Inter Miami against New York Red Bulls tonight?
Lionel Messi could be rested and begin the game on the bench when Inter Miami take on New York Red Bulls in the MLS on Saturday (August 26). This will be the first time the Herons will compete in the MLS since the arrival of Messi last month.
Inter Miami have had tremendous success in cup competitions ever since Lionel Messi arrived on the Floridian shores. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner guided his new side to the Leagues Cup title before securing a place in the US Open Cup final last week.
The David Beckham-owned side defeated FC Cincinnati in the semifinals following a penalty shootout. Inter Miami came back from 2-0 down to take the game into extra time before they eventually won on penalties to reach yet another final.
Lionel Messi has therefore been playing nonstop football ever since he arrived in the United States. Manager Tata Martino acknowledged that fact in his latest press conference and hinted at potentially resting his superstar forward.
The former Barcelona manager was quoted as saying the following (via GOAL):
"We will assess further after this evening's training. It is inevitable that we will not have him at some point. I understand the expectations the rest of the world has to watch him, and that is undeniable. But I cannot act based on that, because then I would risk doing things wrong."
Inter Miami need Lionel Messi's impact the most in the MLS this season
Despite reaching the US Open Cup final, winning the Leagues Cup and qualifying for the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup, Inter Miami have been poor in the MLS. The Florida-based outfit will therefore need Lionel Messi to come good in the league to salvage their season.
At the time of writing, Inter Miami are rock bottom of not only the Eastern Conference in MLS but also the Supporters' Shield standings as well. They have amassed just 18 points from 22 games which includes just five wins all season.
Their last game in the MLS was against St. Louis City back on July 15 where they suffered a 3-0 loss.
New York Red Bulls, on the other hand, are 11th in the Eastern Conference, having picked up 29 points from 24 outings this season. In the overall standings, they find themselves 21st out of 29 teams in the MLS.
Lionel Messi's arrival, however, has completely transformed his club's fortunes. The former Barcelona superstar has already contributed 10 goals and three assists from just eight games for his new side. This includes registering two assists in the US Open Cup semifinals against FC Cincinnati last time around.