Lionel Messi and Inter Miami aim to bounce back after a disappointing loss to LAFC in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal first leg. They’ll have their chance tonight, when they face Toronto FC in MLS play.
It has been confirmed that Messi will be in the starting lineup. The Argentine star is coming from playing the full 90 minutes against LAFC, after he recently returned from a bout of muscle fatigue last month.
“We’ll talk about it with him, as we always do—just like we do with most players. Obviously, I have an idea, but it’s open to discussion,” Mascherano told the press during Friday’s conference.
“Beyond the fact that Wednesday’s match is one of the most important games since the start of the season, we can’t ignore that what we do on Sunday will have an impact on Wednesday. It’s not something to overlook,” he added.
Messi during the match against Atlanta United on March 16, 2025 (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
“We still have two days to go, and it hasn’t even been 48 hours since the game against LAFC, so it will depend on how things go in the coming hours. We’ll make the decision on Sunday,” he said.
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Miami’s confirmed lineup vs Toronto
Inter Miami confirmed the lineup against Toronto on X (formerly Twitter): Drake Callender; Ian Fray, Tomas Aviles, Gonzalo Lujan, Jordi Alba; Robert Taylor, Federico Redondo, Sergio Busquets, Telasco Segovia; Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
Miami could go top of the Eastern Conference
With a bye during the international break, the undefeated Herons have played one fewer match than most teams in the Eastern Conference. They currently sit second, with two points behind Columbus Crew SC.
A win would move Inter Miami to the top of the conference with 16 points and a game in hand. It would also push them to first in the MLS Supporters’ Shield standings, ahead of Vancouver Whitecaps FC, who lead with 16 points after defeating Colorado (2-0) on Saturday.
Messi could break another club record
If Messi plays against Toronto and finds the net, he could add another record to his collection. With his goal in the 2–1 win over Philadelphia Union last week, he tied Gonzalo Higuain for the most goal contributions in club history.
Since joining Inter Miami in 2023, Messi has recorded 23 goals and 20 assists, totaling 43 goal involvements. One more would give him the record outright—and he’s done it in far fewer games: just 28 MLS matches, compared to Higuain’s 67.
