Inter Miami is gearing up for its second match of the 2025 MLS season against Houston Dynamo after a thrilling 2-2 draw in the season opener against New York City FC. With the team still unbeaten, coach Javier Mascherano has made an important decision regarding Lionel Messi‘s participation.
After two months of inactivity, Inter Miami faced a packed schedule, juggling the Americas Tour, MLS matches, and the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Messi’s involvement in every game so far prompted Mascherano to take a decisive step.
As reported by Michelle Kaufman, Mascherano has decided that Lionel Messi will not travel with the team to Houston for the match against Houston Dynamo. The decision is not due to injury, but to provide the star some much-needed rest after the demanding schedule.
The club confirmed this decision by posting photos on X, showing players like Suarez, Segovia, Falcon, and Cremaschi boarding the plane, but Messi was noticeably absent. This will mark the first game of the 2025 season and preseason in which Messi will not feature. Since the first preseason game against Club America, Messi has played in every match, totaling 8 games in just 37 days.
While it’s still early in the season, Mascherano remains focused on delivering results across all competitions. Messi is expected to return fresh and ready for the Champions Cup match against Jamaican side Cavalier SC next Thursday.
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Messi’s playing time and rest management
A key topic last season was the management of Messi’s playing time. Former coach Gerardo Martino carefully rotated Messi’s participation to keep him fresh for the most critical matches, a strategy that became especially evident in the latter part of the season. Mascherano addressed this approach when questioned about Messi’s minutes.
“We have to put everything into context; we were playing a knockout round. We started the season in Kansas, where the Champions Cup is an important competition for us, and between the two games of the knockout round, we had the start of the MLS, which is another competition we are aiming for,” Mascherano explained.
“When we talk about rotating and managing the players, we need to put it into context. We didn’t have the rest we were supposed to have because the match date was changed. When we find the right moment to manage, we will do it. In the meantime, we’ll push forward,” the Inter Miami boss added.
Messi trained alongside the team ahead of the trip, but given Mascherano’s comments, it’s clear that the game against Houston will be used as an opportunity for the star to recharge. So far this season, Messi has contributed 2 goals and 2 assists in 3 official games.
