FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Lionel Messi and Inter Miami have five games left to advance to the MLS postseason.
But all eyes remain on Messi’s availability and whether the World Cup winner and seven-time Ballon d’Or winner will return to action.
Messi will not play in today’s game against New York City FC at the DRV PNK Stadium.
Messi was not on the Inter Miami team bus when it arrived at the stadium, nor was he listed in the club’s squad for the game.
So Messi will miss his third game in a row.
Messi is suffering from fatigue and a lingering injury that was kept quiet for most of September and caused him to miss four of his last five games.
Inter Miami and NYCFC players returned to the field at 8:10 p.m. to warm up after the weather delay, despite persistent rain.
The game could start at 8:32 p.m., Inter Miami announced on social media.
Fans have also started to enter the stands again.
While players from both teams were on the field for pre-match warm-ups, there was a weather-related delay that interrupted the start of tonight’s game.
Shortly before kick-off at 7:30 p.m. there was thunder and lightning that did not occur during warm-ups.
With Leo Messi’s news out, Saturday night’s rain is just more bad news for Inter Miami.
The game between Inter Miami and New York City FC at 7:30 p.m. ET is available to stream on Apple TV.
Messi wanted to play in Inter Miami’s 2-1 loss to Houston Dynamo in the US Open Cup final last Wednesday.
But the club ultimately decided against using Messi to protect his health.
“We’re taking it day by day,” Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Morales told reporters on Friday, according to the Miami Herald.
“We tried until the last moment to see if he could play a few minutes in the final (of the US Open Cup), but he couldn’t. At this point it’s about communicating with the medical staff and especially with them to see how they are doing. He’ll train (Friday) and test it out and we’ll see if he’s available for Saturday, which is what we all want.”
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“Muscle injuries are difficult because you think you’re fine, and then when you play a game or practice, it ends up getting worse,” Morales said.
“We knew it was a final, Leo wanted to play, we all did, but he wasn’t feeling 100 percent. You don’t want to make an injury worse and instead of missing a game you have to miss a month. The idea is to keep him healthy for as long as possible.”
Messi arrived on the pitch for Inter Miami’s training session on Friday towards the end of the session open to the media.
Jordi Alba, a former FC Barcelona star like Messi, is also out due to injury.
Although not previously announced, Morales said Alba was struggling with a hamstring injury.
Alba will not play for Inter Miami against New York City FC.
“Jordi is a different situation, he’s a little longer than Leo,” Morales said. “It’s a hamstring injury. He will definitely be out this weekend.”
Inter Miami is 14th out of 15 teams and is five points behind NYCFC for the ninth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with two games left.
Miami has 32 points while NYCFC has 37.
The remaining Inter Miami games and the rest of the MLS can be watched on Apple TV via the MLS Season Pass.