Is Lionel Messi playing for Inter Miami vs Columbus Crew today in the 2024 Leagues Cup?

The 2024 Leagues Cup is entering its most exciting stages. Following Seattle Sounders’ 4-0 victory over Pumas UNAM to kick off the Round of 16, the tournament will now bring us an exciting matchup between Columbus Crew and Inter Miami. But of course, the question everyone makes is whether Lionel Messi will play today.

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The Argentine star has been on the sidelines since he picked up an injury in the 2024 Copa America final against Colombia. Unfortunately, it looks like this Leagues Cup game comes too soon for Leo.

Messi will not play for Inter Miami against Columbus Crew tonight, which means the Herons will have to continue their title defense without their biggest star. The 37-year-old has already missed the two group stage fixtures.

Miami got off to a strong start with a 2-0 win over Puebla but lost 2-1 to Tigres UANL in the following match. Gerardo Martino’s side, however, bounced back by claiming a hard-fought, 4-3 victory against Toronto in the Round of 32.

Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami looks on during the second half of the game against the Toronto FC.

When is Lionel Messi playing for Inter Miami again?

Even though Messi recently received a big injury update as he continues rehab, his return date remains unclear. Coach Tata Martino made that clear in a press conference ahead of the Columbus Crew fixture.

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Inter Miami coach Tata Martino gives vague update on Lionel Messi’s injury status

“Leo is progressing as expected, but there’s still no precise date for when he might rejoin the group,” Martino said, via Goal. “He continues to work separately. Leo’s absence affects us in different ways. At times, his absence is compounded by the absence of other key players. But even when it’s just him missing, it’s a significant factor. We’ve aimed to build not only a competitive team but also a competitive squad.

“When everyone is available, we are much more reliable and capable of truly competing. Our priority is to resolve the situation with Leo as quickly as possible while maintaining our competitiveness in his absence.”

Last year, Messi played a pivotal role in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup victory with an impressive 10 goals in seven games. The Herons will be looking to keep their title defense alive when they visit Columbus Crew at Lower.com Field today at 7:30 PM (ET).