Lionel Messi's Absence Puzzles Inter Miami Fans Yet Again

UPDATE: 3/6/25, 6:40 p.m. ET: Lionel Messi is noticeably absent from Inter Miami’s lineup. Confirmed Miami Roster: Ustari; Fray, Falcon, Martinez, Alba; Redondo, Busquets, Cremaschi; Segovia, Allende, Suarez. It appears that Inter Miami, under the guidance of coach Javier Mascherano, is meticulously managing Messi’s playing time, which has resulted in him sitting out two consecutive matches despite being fit.

Messi’s participation in Inter Miami’s encounter with Cavalier in the Concacaf Champions Cup is still uncertain, yet not due to any injury or disciplinary reasons. After his impressive performances scoring in both matches against Sporting Kansas City and starting the MLS opener against New York City FC, his absence during the away game against Houston last weekend was unexpected. Commenting ahead of the Houston game, Mascherano assured that Messi was in good health and was actively training with the squad, suggesting his absence was part of a strategy to manage his workload as the 37-year-old embarks on the new season.

Mascherano reiterated before the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 that Messi was injury-free and participating in training. However, there remains a chance that he might not feature in the first leg, especially with a game against Charlotte FC coming up this weekend. Messi might be used sparingly, perhaps playing only around 45 minutes either as part of the starting lineup or coming off the bench. With Miami apparently having the upper hand in advancing past Cavalier, particularly after their solid performance against an MLS team in the previous round, Messi’s omission from the squad or his limited role wouldn’t be too surprising.