Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano leaves Lionel Messi’s presence in upcoming friendlies up in the air
With the FIFA Club World Cup set to begin in June, Inter Miami is gearing up for a challenging season. As preseason preparations continue, head coach Javier Mascherano addressed Lionel Messi’s situation, leaving his presence in the upcoming friendlies uncertain.
The MLS side will play their final two preseason matches: the first against Club Deportivo Olimpia in Honduras on Saturday, February 8, followed by a game against Orlando City SC in the United States on Friday, February 14. However, Mascherano will be managing Messi’s minutes during these fixtures.
“We’ll see… I always say the same thing, no one knows his body better than Leo, and based on his feelings, we’ll manage it accordingly. We’ll have to consider the last match against Orlando, due to its proximity to the match with Sporting (KC), so we’ll handle it from there,” Mascherano said when asked about Messi’s participation in the upcoming friendlies.
Mascherano was referring to Inter Miami’s first CONCACAF Champions Cup match against Sporting Kansas City on February 18. With only four days separating this game from the last friendly against Orlando, Mascherano faces a tight schedule for managing his star player’s fitness.
Despite the compressed timeline, Mascherano was hesitant to rule out Messi’s involvement in the friendlies. “Right now, we know that Leo feels good when playing, that’s where he feels best, and everything we can do to make him play without taking risks, we’ll do,” he added.
Messi’s preseason so far
During Inter Miami’s Americas Preseason Tour, Messi has featured in every match so far. He started in each of the team’s three games: against Club America, Club Universitario, and Sporting San Miguelito.
As part of Mascherano’s strategy to manage Messi’s minutes and avoid overexertion, the coach substituted Messi in the second half of every match, totaling 216 minutes across the three games. Messi scored once, netting his first goal of 2025 against Club America.
In every minute on the pitch, Messi has demonstrated significant involvement, leading the team in nearly every attacking move. Staying fit for the upcoming matches will be crucial for Inter Miami as they face a demanding season ahead.