Is Lionel Messi Playing Tonight for Inter Miami vs Toronto FC in Leagues Cup?

We know you can’t take your eyes off the Olympics, but rewind to domestic soccer for a moment. The stage for the Leagues Cup round of 32 is set, and among the most favored clashes sees Inter Miami locking horns with their fellow MLS Eastern Conference rival Toronto FC at Chase Stadium. However, with just hours remaining until kickoff, the question looms whether Lionel Messi will play tonight.

The match is crucial for both sides as it takes them to the round of 16, making the presence of the Argentinian superstar quite important. Unfortunately, this will be another game where fans won’t witness him. Lionel Messi will not play in Inter Miami vs. Toronto FC as he continues to recover from his ankle injury. The 37-year-old is still healing from the knock he sustained during the Copa America 2024 final.

Likewise, Inter Miami also released a statement earlier regarding his injury. “Following a medical evaluation, it has been determined that Leo Messi has suffered an injury to the ligaments of his right ankle. The captain’s availability will be determined by regular check-ups and the progress of his recovery.”

Remarkably, it has been over a month since La Pulga last appeared in a domestic match. His most recent game for the Florida-based team was a 3-3 draw against St. Louis on June 2. He was absent from several MLS matches between June 16 and July 21 due to international commitments. Additionally, he missed the Leagues Cup group stage games against Puebla and Tigres UNAL, in which Miami secured a 2-0 victory and suffered a 1-2 defeat, respectively.

While it remains a huge blow for Martino and Co. that Messi is sidelined, many are eager to know exactly when he’ll make a return.

When will Lionel Messi return for Inter Miami?

Earlier, Tata Martino revealed that the Herons’ medical team is evaluating Lionel Messi’s recovery every week. The Argentinian coach also mentioned that the Barcelona icon is still in isolated training until he fully recovers and currently needs to wear a walking boot. “He has already taken it off, he is doing work in the gym, he has not yet gone out on the field,” he said.

However, there is positive news as the World Cup winner’s “ankle is getting better and better,” as Martino revealed. This suggests that we can expect Messi to return at the end of August. Even if he makes an early return, Miami won’t be interested in rushing their star player back into action. This season, the former PSG star has shown he remains injury-prone. Hence, patience and caution are advised in dealing with Messi’s injury.

Unfortunately, Miami’s injury woes extend beyond Lionel Messi. Serhiy Kryvtsov is nursing a minor knock, and Nicolas Freire and Facundo Farias are both out with ACL injuries. On the positive side, Diego Gomez and Benjamin Cremaschi are expected to return soon. They have been away from the Miami camp due to their participation in the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024, but since their respective national teams have been eliminated, they should be back shortly.

Regardless, let’s see if Inter Miami can fight against Toronto in the absence of Lionel Messi tonight.