Argentine player leaves his club for just one game only to face Lionel Messi

Though the Argentine league is well underway, everyone at Newell’s Old Boys is excited about the upcoming friendly vs. Inter Miami. In fact, veteran midfielder Pablo Perez made sure to be able to play against Lionel Messi‘s team despite not being under contract with Newell’s anymore.

The 38-year-old joined Sarmiento in January under one condition: to be granted permission to play in this special friendly for the Rosario-based club. Perez has therefore been authorized to fly to the US this week, missing Sarmiento’s league game against Lanus on Wednesday.

While the agreement itself is enough to raise eyebrows, what made even more noise is the fact that Sarmiento are flirting with relegation while Perez is out for a friendly. But at the end of the day, facing Messi is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Messi plays boyhood club in Inter Miami’s final preseason game

This match may come midway through the Argentine season, but for Inter Miami it will be the last exhibition before the start of the 2024 MLS season. The Herons traveled the world in the last few weeks, playing friendlies in El Salvador, Dallas, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, and Japan before returning home.

Lionel Messi celebrates during Inter Miami’s friendly against Al-Hilal.

The constant flights seemed to take a toll on the team, as it won just one out of six friendlies during its global preseason tour. Fortunately, Gerardo Martino’s men got a much-needed week of rest ahead of the match against Newell’s, Messi’s boyhood club.

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They won’t need to travel more miles this time, as the Argentine side will show up in Fort Lauderdale. Needless to say, it will be an emotional matchup for Leo, who left Rosario for Barcelona at only 13.