Thanks to two goals from Allende and Luis Suárez in the second half, Inter Miami managed to break the wall set up by Cavalier at Chase Stadium and took the lead before traveling to Jamaica for the return leg of the Concachampions round of 16. However, the big news was that, once again, Leo Messi was absent. Why? What's going on?

Messi is not injured

If there’s no injury involved, it’s hard to imagine Leo Messi missing two consecutive games… especially since he’s about to turn 38 in just a few months. But since the victory against Kansas City in the previous round of the Concachampions, Inter Miami fans have been unable to enjoy his presence, and the situation is starting to generate uncertainty.

Javier Mascherano, however, confirmed that Leo Messi is not suffering from any injury. He simply has muscle discomfort: "He has fatigue from playing three games in six days, and we just want to give him rest to ease that fatigue. We need to step up and learn to play without him."

When could Messi return with Inter Miami?

It’s important to note that Argentina faces a crucial FIFA date in the South American Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup against Uruguay and Brazil. “I know what it means for Messi, for the Argentinians, and for South American players to go to the Argentina national team,” commented Mascherano amidst speculations that Messi might not join Argentina.

In principle, it’s most likely that Leo Messi will return in the next MLS game, where Inter Miami faces Charlotte. However, it should not be ruled out that he could miss one of the upcoming matches against Cavalier and Atlanta. “We need to step up and learn to play without him,” Mascherano commented after the game against Cavalier.