Lionel Messi and 3 former Barcelona players named in Inter Miami squad for El Salvador pre-season friendly
Inter Miami have announced their squad comprising Lionel Messi and former Barcelona trio of Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and new signing Luis Suarez for their hybrid friendly against El Salvador on Friday (January 19).
The game kickstarts the Herons' first foreign pre-season tour, where they will also visit Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Japan. Tata Martino has named a strong squad for the game at the Estadio Cuscatlan in Sal Salvador.
While Messi and Suarez have been named in attack, Busquets and Alba are part of the midfield and defence. The full squad for the Herons' first international game is as follows:
Goalkeepers
CJ Dos Santos
Cole Jensen
Defenders
Jordi Alba
Noah Allen
Tomas Aviles
Sergii Kryvtsov
Christopher McVey
Ryan Sailor
DeAndre Yedlin
Midfielders
Sergio Busquets
Benjamin Cremaschi
Facundo FarÃas
Gregore
Julian Gressel
David Ruiz
Lawson Sunderland
Robert Taylor
Forwards
Leonardo Campana
Lionel Messi
Luis Suarez
While Messi, Busquets and Alba arrived in Miami last summer, Suarez did so in December following a spell with Brasileiro Serie A side Gremio. All four former Barcelona stars are expected to feature against El Salvador?
How does the rest of Lionel Messi's Inter Miami's pre-season schedule look like?
Following their first overseas trip to El Salvador later this week, Lionel Messi and Co. return home to take on FC Dallas away on January 24.
Five days later, Inter Miami travel to Saudi Arabia to take on Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal. On Februray 1, Martino's side lock horns with another Saudi Pro League giant, Al-Nassr, where Messi will reunite with his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Herons will then travel to Hong Kong, where they will take on Hong Kong XI, an assortment of top players from the region's first division, on Februray 4.
Three days later, Miami take on Vissel Kobe in Tokyo before returning home to take on Messi's boyhood club Newell's Old Boys at the DRV PNK Stadium in Miami on February 15.
The Herons open their new MLS season at home to Real Salt Lake on February 21.