Lionel Messi’s MLS debut has been delayed due to Inter Miami’s progression in the Leagues Cup, where they host Charlotte in the quarterfinals on Friday. Messi was scheduled to make his MLS debut against the same team on August 20, but now it will take place on a later date.
Messi has been in top form since his transfer to Inter Miami, having already scored seven goals in four appearances and has helped them reach the last eight. It also looks like Messi’s MLS debut will be on August 26, when his side takes on New York Red Bulls. They will also travel to FC Cincinnati on August 23 for a US Open Cup semifinal.
A statement from Inter Miami read, “Major League Soccer (MLS) announced today that Inter Miami CF’s MLS match against Charlotte FC originally scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 20 at DRV PNK Stadium has been postponed to a later date to be announced.”
“As both Inter Miami CF and Charlotte FC have advanced to the 2023 Leagues Cup quarterfinals, one of the two clubs will be playing on Aug. 19 in either the Leagues Cup final or third place match
“Tickets originally purchased for the Aug. 20 MLS match will be honored for the new date in which the game will be played. For ticketing questions, contact tickets@intermiamicf.com.”
Inter Miami are currently bottom of the Eastern Conference table with 18 points in 22 matches, with five wins, three draws and 14 defeats. Focus will be on Messi, who will be aiming to lead a fightback. Meanwhile, the club also added former Barcelona manager Tata Martino at the helm. They also bought Messi’s former teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
Hailing Messi’s influence on the squad, Martino recently said, “We have the best player in the world. That can’t be ignored. When we have our moments, the team is lethal. This question always gets asked in the places where he is. Someone can bet on what Barcelona would’ve looked like without Messi, what the Argentina national team would look like without Messi or anywhere he’s been.”
“Fortunately, we have him, and today he once again showed he’s a tremendously important player. The majority of times there’s a free kick in this area, and I think only with him do you get the feeling that it’s going to be a goal. A free kick usually is something where you think it won’t be a goal 90% of the time, but when he has it, it’s the opposite. You think it won’t be a goal 10% of the time, but the rest it will be,” he further added.