Is Lionel Messi playing vs. Orlando City? Inter Miami coach Mascherano gives key update ahead of Florida derby

Lionel Messi’s injury in last week’s Leagues Cup clash against Necaxa has raised concerns among Inter Miami fans, especially with a packed schedule ahead. With the Florida derby against Orlando City just around the corner, head coach Javier Mascherano addressed Messi’s status and clarified his availability for the upcoming MLS match.

Last Sunday, Inter Miami released a statement confirming that Messi had suffered a minor muscle injury in his right leg, forcing him to leave the game early. The club noted that his recovery timeline would depend on his clinical progress and response to treatment, leaving supporters unsure when they might see the Argentine star back on the field.

Speaking to Diario AS, Mascherano was asked directly if Messi would play against Orlando City. His answer was clear: “No. Leo is fine, but obviously it would be crazy to take any risk by bringing him to Orlando tomorrow with everything we have coming up.“

Messi took part in Saturday’s training session ahead of the derby, though he worked separately from the main group and focused on light exercises — a sign that while his return is not immediate, it may not be far off. “We are very optimistic that he will be back with us soon,” concluded Mascherano.

The Florida derby on Saturday is set to be a high-stakes encounter. Orlando City, with three more games, sit just one point behind Inter Miami, who are fifth in the Eastern Conference with 42 points from 22 matches. As the Herons return to MLS action following three Leagues Cup fixtures, they will have to face their in-state rivals without their biggest star.

Tigres, Inter Miami’s next Leagues Cup opponent

Inter Miami and Orlando City are among the four MLS sides to reach the Leagues Cup quarterfinals, joined by the Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy. On Friday, the draw pitted the Herons against Liga MX powerhouse Tigres, with the match scheduled for August 20 at Chase Stadium.

With less than two weeks until that showdown, Mascherano praised the Mexican side: “Tigres are a great team; they showed it last night against Puebla. They have quality players and they always fight for important things. First, we’ll try to tackle these two MLS fixtures we have — tomorrow against Orlando and next Saturday against the Galaxy — and from there, we’ll see what happens with Tigres.”