Lionel Messi Skips Argentina Friendly, Could Suit Up for Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United

Lionel Messi Skips Argentina Friendly, Could Suit Up for Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United

The possibility of Lionel Messi returning to the pitch for Inter Miami on Saturday gained momentum after he was left out of Argentina’s squad for their friendly against Venezuela on Friday night. Messi, who had been training with the national team in Miami Gardens ahead of the match, was officially ruled out of Argentina’s lineup just before kickoff by head coach Lionel Scaloni.

This unexpected development opens the door for Messi to potentially feature for Inter Miami in their crucial matchup against Atlanta United at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night. While nothing has been confirmed, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano addressed the speculation, noting that the team hadn’t counted on Messi for the game due to his national team commitments. "If he doesn't play [with Argentina] and there's a chance, I'd be delighted. Imagine having Leo Messi. But the reality is, he hasn't been with us," Mascherano said Friday. "The truth is, I haven't spoken to Leo... but it was never on my mind because Leo wasn't with us."

Inter Miami (17-7-8, 59 points) are preparing for their penultimate regular-season match and are still fighting for positioning in the Eastern Conference. With the Philadelphia Union already clinching the Supporters' Shield, Miami is chasing FC Cincinnati for the second seed. A top-four finish would secure a home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs making Saturday’s match critical.

Regardless of Messi’s availability, Inter Miami will be short-handed. Five players Rodrigo De Paul, Telasco Segovia, Ian Fray, Mateo Silvetti, and Noah Allen are away on international duty. "We will manage the best we can," Mascherano said. "We want the players who stayed to be as fresh and ready as possible because, obviously, we want to get three points to secure third place and put pressure on Cincinnati heading into the final game."

Atlanta United (5-15-12, 27 points), meanwhile, are enduring a difficult stretch. The club has been held scoreless in its last two matches and hasn’t recorded a win since August 30, when they edged out Nashville 1-0. First-year coach Ronny Deila remains optimistic despite the struggles. “I've had struggles, always, in the first year before. Second year it got better, and third it got even better. That's why I love this. I want to improve things," he said.

Like Miami, Atlanta will also miss several players due to international call-ups, including U.S. international Luke Brennan and Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron. With both teams depleted, Saturday’s clash will be a test of depth, tactics, and momentum as the regular season winds down and playoff positioning heats up.