Inter Miami host the LA Galaxy on Saturday at Chase Stadium in MLS action. But as head coach Javier Mascherano finalized his lineup, eyebrows were raised when both Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul were left out of the Herons’ starting XI.
Coming off a crushing 4-1 loss to Orlando City in the Florida derby, Miami were under pressure to respond after dropping to sixth in the Eastern Conference. Still, Mascherano’s decision to bench Messi and De Paul left fans questioning his strategy.
Lionel Messi won’t start against LA Galaxy as he continues to recover from a right hamstring injury sustained against Necaxa. While the Argentine star has returned to full training, the staff are taking a cautious approach to avoid any setbacks, especially with key fixtures looming.
De Paul’s absence, however, is not injury-related. The midfielder has been rested as part of a technical decision by Mascherano, who wants him fully fit for Wednesday’s Leagues Cup quarterfinal clash against Tigres.
De Paul, a new key piece for Mascherano
De Paul’s absence from Thursday’s training session initially sparked concern about a possible injury. But on Friday, Mascherano confirmed the midfielder had simply left the country to complete visa paperwork.
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“Rodrigo (De Paul) is joining us today because he needed to leave the country. You already know how visa issues go, it took a little longer than expected to process, but today he joins training and will be part of the squad,” Mascherano told reporters on Friday, clarifying the situation.
Since making his debut against Atlas on July 30, De Paul has started every match for Miami, recording one goal and two assists in four appearances. Already seen as a key piece in Mascherano’s system, he’ll begin on the bench Saturday, a strategic move to keep him fresh for the Leagues Cup.
