Will Lionel Messi Play Against Real Salt Lake? Latest Update on Inter Miami Star’s Availability Ahead of MLS 2024 Season Opener

Published 02/20/2024, 9:49 PM EST

After a lengthy pre-season, Inter Miami will finally kick off their 2024 MLS season in just a few hours. The Herons will be welcoming Real Salt Lake at Chase Stadium, as both sides will be tussling for three points. With the anticipation palpable among fans, one question continues to echo: Will Lionel Messi play tomorrow?

“We are playing him little by little.” These words from Tata Martino were quite explanatory when he talked about Messi’s fitness concerns before the Newell’s Old Boys clash. In the last press conference, Martino dropped a positive update on his skipper to end all the fears of his hamstring injury. He stressed the idea of starting the star No. 10 for the MLS opener. Hence, it’s safe to say that fans can expect Lionel Messi against Real Salt Lake.

Notably, after spending almost 88 minutes on the pitch against Al Hilal, that became the start of his injury concerns. From playing just 7 minutes against Al Nassr to remaining on the bench for the whole match against Hong Kong XI, tensions grew regarding his injury. However, after playing 30 minutes against Vissel Kobe and 60 minutes against Newell’s Old Boys, fans can expect a sigh of relief. However, there’s still a key issue that everyone must be aware of.

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Messi can make a start, but his minutes will be under Martino’s hands. Until the Miami boss doesn’t feel confident about letting his star player play a full game, we might see the Argentinian striker get subbed off. Nevertheless, tomorrow’s match will answer all questions. Speaking of which, what’s the update on other players?

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While Lionel Messi is set to start, what’s the update on his other Inter Miami teammates?

Lionel Messi’s partner-in-crime, Luis Suarez, also had a minor hamstring problem. But since there is no major news regarding his injury, we would likely see El Pistolero in action tomorrow. Likewise, a recent injury scare involving Sergio Busquets also prompted serious concerns after he left the Vissel Kobe game early in the first half after being subjected to a vicious tackle. So will he play?

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Thankfully, further tests revealed that the injury wasn’t very grave. Martino also revealed that Busquets will be ready for the MLS opener. The Herons will have to deal with long-term absentees such as Facundo Farias, Benjamin Cremaschi, Robbie Robinson, Ian Fray, Franco Negri, Nicolas Freire, and Serhiy Kryvtsov. It would be interesting to see how the club navigates such turbulent waters.

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Written by:

Abhishek Mishra is a senior Soccer Writer at EssentiallySports. His early exposure to playing soccer earned him many accolades at college divisions, making him a sports enthusiast. While closely following daily updates for over a decade, Abhishek is well-versed in European soccer and now the MLS, as well.

Edited by:

Daniel D'Cruz

Will Lionel Messi Play Against Real Salt Lake? Latest Update on Inter Miami Star’s Availability Ahead of MLS 2024 Season Opener

While Lionel Messi is set to start, what’s the update on his other Inter Miami teammates?

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