It has been 63 days since Inter Miami last played a match. Nevertheless, the frenzy around the Herons is in full momentum, thanks to the deal that paired Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi again. Now, pre-season friendlies await Miami, where they first play the El Salvador national team. Messi’s availability for those friendlies took center stage in coach Gerardo Tata Martino’s MLS Media Day interview. However, he resorted to diplomacy, saying, “The idea is for this pre-season to begin with the entire Inter Miami squad“. Well, ideas rarely become reality.

Lionel Messi started strongly in Miami with 11 goals in 14 matches. Had he not been injured or fatigued during the campaign, he would have scored more goals. Now, the physical condition of players seems to be a woe to Tata Martino, as Inter Miami laces up for the match against El Salvador.

Preseason appearances depend on how the players feel ‘physically’, claimed Tata Martino

According to Deporte Total USA, Tata Martino revealed that the Herons are yet to strategically analyze their next opponent, El Salvador. Soon, the conversation ventured into superstars Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Sergio Busquets’ availability. However, the boss chose not to reveal who will travel for the fixture. Instead, he followed the aforementioned diplomatic approach. Further, he gave hints by saying, “Afterwards we will see how they are physically, if they will be there or not. But we understand that the contractual part requires the presence of our best players.” (translated by DeepL)

The Argentine coach not-so-subtly stated that pundits and fans will have to wait for until the El Salvador match to discover if La Pulga is actually playing or not. Martino speaking about checking players’ physical condition reminds one of last year when a fatigued Messi had to sit out during Miami matches. Though Lionel Messi’s availability for the pre-season friendlies is ambiguous, he is quite sure and determined to travel to Saudi and meet his archrival.

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Lionel Messi will surely lace up for one last showdown with CR7!

Friendlies aside, what can be called the biggest competitive matchup, awaits Tata Martino’s Inter Miami in the pre-season. Next month, Lionel Messi will face his greatest rival Cristiano Ronaldo in a Riyadh Season Cup match against Al Nassr. Before Martino or anyone else, Messi himself proclaimed he was lacing up to meet CR7 in ‘The Last Dance.’

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“I can’t wait to be part of the Riyadh Season Cup with my team Inter Miami FC as we face top Saudi clubs in a historic championship,” the 8x Ballon d’Or winner said in an Instagram post on Wednesday. If Lionel Messi were to miss friendlies in January, he would compensate the fans by going shoulder-to-shoulder with Ronaldo.

While watching Suarez before the actual campaign seems far-fetched, do you honestly expect to see Lionel Messi in the pre-season friendlies? Tell us in the comments below.

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