Inter Miami head coach Guillermo Hoyos did not confirm whether Lionel Messi will be available for Saturday’s crucial MLS clash against Nashville, speaking to reporters after training on Friday.
Messi featured for the second half of Miami’s Leagues Cup elimination loss to Club León earlier in the week, just days after returning from Rosario following the passing of his father, Jorge Messi.
Asked about Messi’s situation, Hoyos said: “I think Leo’s situation needs to keep developing little by little because there’s a lot of pain there. This isn’t something that happens from one day to the next. So I think silence, calm and peace are what’s best, and for him to find his own moments“.
He continued, offering a personal reflection on Messi beyond the football side of things: “We have to support him always within that silence, which for me is an ally so he can come out of this. But he truly is a wonderful human being with a wonderful family. I want to make that very clear, because people like that aren’t common in this world”.
Lionel Messi of Inter Miami. (Getty Images)
With the club continuing to give Messi space to process his grief, Hoyos made clear that the final call ultimately belongs to the player himself rather than the coaching staff, framing his own role as one of support rather than pressure as Miami waits to see whether their captain feels ready to return to the starting lineup.
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Inter Miami’s next matches
Beyond Saturday’s clash with Nashville, Miami‘s schedule doesn’t slow down. The club travels to face Philadelphia Union on August 19, before returning home to host Toronto FC on August 22 and CF Montréal on August 29, all crucial fixtures as Miami continues its push in both the MLS table and the Supporters’ Shield race.
September brings even more on the calendar, starting with a home date against Atlanta United on September 5, followed by the highly anticipated Campeones Cup clash against Cruz Azul on September 16 — giving Messi and company a packed stretch of games to navigate as the club balances his gradual return with a schedule that offers little room to slow down.
