Is Lionel Messi playing today for Inter Miami vs Cavalier in the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16?

In their initial games of 2025, Inter Miami achieved a key milestone by defeating Sporting Kansas City and securing their place in the Round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Lionel Messi‘s team will now face Cavalier at Chase Stadium, aiming for a victory that will give them a strong advantage heading into next week’s second leg.

However, as the match approaches, all eyes are on Messi. The Argentine star has been dealing with a muscle strain for several days and will not be included in either the starting lineup or the substitutes’ bench for Thursday’s match.

Leo’s last appearance for Inter Miami was on Tuesday, February 25, in a 3-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City, which sealed their qualification for the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16. Messi scored a goal that day but was substituted 24 minutes into the second half for Benjamin Cremaschi.

In their subsequent match against Houston Dynamo last Sunday, the Argentine star was absent from the squad entirely. Coach Javier Mascherano opted to prioritize his physical recovery, and Inter Miami went on to secure a 4-1 win without their best player.

Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano.

What did the HC say about Messi’s physical condition?

Lionel Messi’s absence in the match against Houston Dynamo sparked concern, with many speculating about his fitness. Ahead of this week’s CONCACAF Champions Cup clash, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano provided an update on Messi’s condition.

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“Leo has not had any injuries,” Mascherano clarified. “As the matches progressed, he felt fatigue and had some overload. That’s why we decided he wouldn’t go to Houston. We’ve already had some injuries, and we didn’t want such an important player to end up being out for a month because we didn’t give him some rest.”

Despite the extra time off, Messi was still not at full fitness during training this week. As a result, the head coach opted to keep him out of the match against Cavalier to allow for a full recovery.

Inter Miami’s starting lineup without Messi

Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano has decided to replace Lionel Messi with midfielder Telasco Segovia in the starting lineup. The lineup for Thursday’s match will feature: Oscar Ustari; Ian Fray, Maximiliano Falcon, Hector David Martinez, Jordi Alba; Federico Redondo, Sergio Busquets, Benjamin Cremaschi, Telasco Segovia; Tadeo Allende, Luis Suarez.

When will Inter Miami play again?

After Thursday night’s match against Cavalier, Inter Miami will have just three days of rest before their next fixture: a Major League Soccer clash against Charlotte FC on Wednesday at Chase Stadium. On Thursday, March 13, they will face Cavalier in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 in Kingston, where they will look to finish the job.