Inter Miami CF head coach Javier Mascherano confirmed Lionel Messi Will be available to play in the Major League Soccer season opener against Los Angeles FC on Saturday night.
“Messi is fine; he has been training all week like the rest of the team,” Mascherano said on Friday. “He is performing well and his emotions are quite positive. So, he is going in with good preparation just like the rest of the players in the team.”
The forward’s participation in this match was in doubt due to a muscle strain in his left hamstring suffered during a preseason game against Barcelona SC on 7 February. Although Messi started the friendly, he left the pitch to watch from the sidelines in the 58th minute.
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Inter Miami later decided to reschedule the final preseason friendly match against Independiente del Valle in Puerto Rico to February 26 instead of the original date of February 13.
After battling stress, Messi has returned to training with the rest of the team.
The coach later emphasized that “all players traveling with the team” to California would be available for selection, including newly signed designated players. German Bertram and now-permanent Inter Miami figure Tadeo Allende.
Mascherano admitted that the team expected a tough game against LAFC given the caliber of players on both sides of the floor.
Mascherano said, “However, it is clear that they are two great teams, and certainly, given the ability of their players and what they represent in the league, they are two teams that should be contenders on paper.”
“You always envision the ideal game, and the ideal game for us will be the exact opposite, a back-and-forth affair. It will be about controlling the game, keeping possession for long periods of time and preventing Los Angeles from making transitions because they need to move quickly.”
Inter Miami enters 2026 campaign The reigning MLS champion has been eliminated 2025 MLS Cup by defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps. The team will now compete in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup in addition to the MLS regular season.