Why Did Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami Decline To Play FC Barcelona in a Friendly?

In a disappointing update, Inter Miami has decided to pass on the opportunity for Lionel Messi to reunite with his former club FC Barcelona in a friendly match. The Catalan giants revealed their plans to visit the USA for a pre-season friendly during the summer and even extended an invitation to Inter Miami to participate in a match.

This meeting would have been an intriguing opportunity for Messi to face Barcelona for the first time and have a reunion with the team he departed with tears in his eyes back in 2021. Nonetheless, the MLS side has declined this proposal, leaving fans with questions as to their reasoning behind such a decision.

The reason behind Inter Miami’s surprise decision

While Inter Miami has not officially stated its rationale, according to Mundo Deportivo, The Herons’ packed schedule is the primary factor behind its rejection of the potential match. During the European pre-season period, MLS teams are engaged in League Cup competitions.

Inter Miami this year is entering the tournament as defending champions. Given their commitments in the League Cup, David Beckham‘s side has chosen not to proceed with the suggested friendly match. Additionally, it is highly improbable that such a fixture would occur immediately after the conclusion of the Copa America tournament.

Considering these circumstances, it is unlikely that Lionel Messi would have participated in this potential match and subsequently missed out on a reunion with his former club. Nonetheless, there is still ample time for the Barcelona US tour, and who knows, maybe a similar situation to what occurred with Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Al Nassr might unfold.

The Herons initially denied the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo ‘Last Dance’

In November, the internet was abuzz with news of a proposed ‘last dance’ between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Unfortunately, the hopes of millions were dashed when Inter Miami announced that they had not agreed to participate in the Riyadh Season Cup to face Al Nassr.

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However, to the delight of fans, just a few days later, the match became official. Now, both teams are scheduled to go head-to-head on February 1st. Fans can only hope that similar circumstances will arise to make the Inter Miami vs Barcelona matchup a reality as well.

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