Is Lionel Messi Playing Tonight For Inter Miami Vs Sporting Kansas City?

For the first time in 28 years, Sporting Kansas City is playing at the GEHA Field in the Arrowhead Stadium to host Inter Miami on Saturday. KC moved the match from the 18,467-seat Children’s Mercy Park to the 76,000 expecting the biggest crowd in franchise history. At the heart of this mammoth crowd is Lionel Messi who has seen sellout crowds in the MLS ever since he joined Inter Miami. Fueling the frenzy, reigning Super Bowl champion and Sporting KC’s minority owner Patrick Mahomes will probably be at the Arrowhead. Amid all this anticipation, one question remains. Will Leo Messi feature in the blockbuster clash?

At the heart of this concern is that the 2022 World Champion has missed back-to-back matches until recently due to recurring injury woes. A hamstring injury contracted during a CONCACAF championship tie in March has kept the Argentine out for 5 Inter Miami games lately.

Latest update on Lionel Messi’s availability for the Sporting KC-Miami tie

Inter Miami coach Tata Martino has confirmed that the ‘injury was behind’ Lionel Messi before the team met Monterrey in the CONCACAF tournament. Leo Messi started for Miami in that game and completed 90 minutes. That was no big surprise, considering Martino called Messi off the bench in the previous MLS game against the Colorado Rapids. The 8x Ballon d’Or winner had then scored an equalizer just moments after resuming action. Besides, Messi got three days to recuperate before the KC tie. Therefore, it is a positive update for both Miami and KC fans, as the 2022 World Champion will be on display at the Arrowhead.

Besides, Inter Miami’s latest updates on social media show that the Argentine has trained with his teammates at the facility in Sporting KC’s home. Furthermore, the Herons’ assistant coach Javier Morales has also confirmed that Messi feels well and will try to play as many minutes as possible against KC. Anyhow, it is to be seen if Martino would start Leo Messi in Miami’s 9th MLS tie. Whether to start Messi or to summon him from the bench will be a game-time decision for the Argentine coach. Whatever the decision is, the Arrowhead will probably host another bunch of A-listers, like most other Leo Messi games.

NFL pals will accompany Patrick Mahomes to witness Leo Messi

Besides Mahomes, rumors have it that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce will take to the Arrowhead to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi. Notably, the NFL stars and the pop superstar have never met with the Argentine before. Mahomes has openly showered praises on Leo Messi after watching his masterclass of an Inter Miami debut.

Besides these three, it is not confirmed as to which other A-lister will grace the Missouri-based stadium. Considering it is the Chiefs’ home, one could expect more of NFL royalty coming to witness the soccer icon. Hence, at this point, a slight injury woe for Messi will be the last thing anybody on either side of the KC-Miami tie would want to happen.