Lionel Messi is expected to lead Inter Miami against Eastern Conference leaders NYCFC this Sunday at Yankee Stadium as the club shifts its focus exclusively to MLS play following a disappointing midweek continental elimination.
Lionel Messi is healthy and slated to feature in Sunday’s 1 p.m. matchup against NYCFC before joining Argentina for international friendlies.
Inter Miami enters the contest seeking redemption after a tiebreaker rule caused their “unexpected” Round of 16 Champions Cup exit.
Coach Javier Mascherano urged his squad to move past the heartbreak, stating, “The best way to prove it is to focus on the league now.”
The Herons currently sit third in the East but face significant personnel hurdles. Rodrigo De Paul, Maxi Falcon, and Sergio Reguilon are all sidelined with injuries, heightening the pressure on a struggling attack.
Mascherano acknowledged the need for clinical finishing beyond his captain, noting, “We have Leo, who always delivers an incredible number of goals… and now we need the rest of the team to start scoring.”