Inter Miami was greeted with disappointing news just hours before their Leagues Cup Ro16 clash against Columbus Crew. Tata Martino came clean that he still isn’t aware of Lionel Messi‘s return date to action for the Herons. However, the former River Plate manager predicted that the 37-year-old may be back around the start of September. This means that Messi will miss a host of matches, but which ones and how many?

To be precise, Messi’s potential return being touted as the start of the ninth month can mean anything. While it’s set that the Barcelona legend sits for the last-16 clash, if Inter Miami progresses further, then there’s more domestic action that the forward can miss. In other words, Messi may remain absent for the Leagues Cup quarter-final clash that sees Miami face the winner of Tigres UANL vs New York City FC on August 16 or 17.

The possibility may extend to even the semifinal clash. Yet, that again depends on how far Martino’s side goes through the competition. On the other hand, if they fail to make it even beyond the round of 16, then they will play their MLS clash against Cincinnati on August 25, a clash that Messi will again miss. Subsequently, the skipper will also remain absent for Chicago on September 1.

After that, two weeks of international break will begin and Inter Miami will return for the MLS action directly on September 15th to face Philadelphia. Perhaps then we might see Messi in action. Till then, he is still expected to remain sidelined and nurse the ankle injury that he suffered while in action for Argentina in the Copa America final.

In the meantime, while fans grapple with the lengthy absence of Messi, might we offer some relieving update on an Inter Miami star?

While the return of Lionel Messi is still being anticipated, another Inter Miami star offers a ray of hope!

There’s a significant update on Facundo Farias. Reports indicate that the forward might return to full training just before the season ends. While his recovery at that point may not have a major impact, there’s always a chance it could happen sooner than expected. Notably, Farias was Inter Miami’s first major setback ahead of the 2024/25 season. The winger sustained a knee injury during the team’s pre-season opener, a draw against El Salvador’s national team.

After being stretchered off the field, it was confirmed that Farias needed surgery, ruling him out for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi remains an absentee for the Leagues Cup and several MLS fixtures until further notice. In the meantime, Inter Miami must maintain their winning form and capitalize on the likes of Luis Suárez, Diego Gómez, and Matías Rojas, who have been stepping up in the best way possible to cater to the absence of their star player.