The 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup will see Inter Miami welcome Monterrey to Chase Stadium tonight in the first leg of the quarterfinals. After days of speculation, Lionel Messi was ultimately ruled out.
The Argentine star has been on the sidelines since March 13, when he was subbed out in the return leg of the Concachampions round of 16 against Nashville due to a hamstring injury.
Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino refused to make a decision until the last minute, but he warned on Tuesday the team wouldn’t risk Messi. This will be Miami’s fourth straight match without its biggest star.
Inter Miami’s lineup
According to Gaston Edul, Argentine national team insider of TyC Sports who also follows Messi’s adventure in MLS, the team decided not to risk Messi as the player is on the final stage of his recovery.
Inter Miami’s lineup: Drake Callender; Marcelo Weigandt, Tomas Aviles, Nicolas Freire, Jordi Alba; David Ruiz, Sergio Busquets, Diego Gomez; Julian Gressel, Luis Suarez, Robert Taylor.
Monterrey’s lineup
Monterrey have just suffered their first loss of the year at the hands of Chivas Guadalajara in the Liga MX. Rayados come from knocking out FC Cincinnati and Comunicaciones in the Concachampions though.
Monterrey’s starting XI: Esteban Andrada; Erick Aguirre, Victor Guzman, Hector Moreno, Gerardo Arteaga; Luis Romo, Jorge Rodriguez, Jesus Gallardo; Maximiliano Meza, Sergio Canales, Brandon Vazquez.