After a full week off, Inter Miami will finally return to action tonight. The Herons landed in Pennsylvania as they will be facing Philadelphia Union in just a few hours at Subaru Park in their quest for three crucial points. As the preparation for the match continues, questions loom regarding the presence of star players Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

La Pulga may have been training at Fort Lauderdale earlier this week, but it wasn’t with Tata Martino and the group. Well, to clear doubts over the presence of Messi and Suarez, the duo left the Inter Miami camp last week. Both are currently with their respective national teammates for the upcoming 2024 Copa America.

Earlier, Messi’s Argentina faced Ecuador in a friendly with the player making a short appearance. Argentina also faced Guatemala yesterday, a day before the David Beckham-owned club is set to play against Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Uruguay has played both of its warm-up matches against Costa Rica and Mexico and now will directly resume action in the Copa America group stages. This would certainly keep Messi and Suarez busy for the coming weeks.

Hence, tonight marks the first match that Inter Miami will be playing in the absence of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez due to their international commitments. This won’t be the first one for sure as the former Barcelona duo is not expected to don the pink jersey till at least mid-July. Their return also depends on how well their nations fare in the prestigious tournament.

With the availability of Messi and Suarez finally cleared, the question is whether Inter Miami will be able to survive in the absence of their star players.

Inter Miami has their task cut out in the absence of Messi and Suarez

Tata Martino and Co. need to prove that they can win some battles alone. This also is the time for the former River Plate boss to examine his roster’s weak and strong points, especially in attack. Given the lengthy absences of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, the focus should be on preparing the likes of Robert Taylor, Benjamin Cremaschi, and Matias Rojas to find the back of the net. On the other hand, major changes aren’t expected in the backline and the center half of the pitch.

Luckily, the other star duo of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba remain with the pack and haven’t been called up for the 2024 Euros. Notably, Inter Miami is currently at the top of the Eastern Conference table with 35 points, two points clear of second-placed Cincinnati. Another key task for the Florida side is to maintain the lead they have managed to get with Messi and Suarez. Either way, it remains to be seen how Inter Miami embraces this challenge.