Inter Miami achieved a valuable 1-0 victory against Charlotte FC in the third round of the MLS. Despite being on the bench, Lionel Messi did not enter the match. Coach Javier Mascherano explained that the idea was to give minutes to the Argentine star, but the expulsion of goalkeeper Óscar Ustari changed the dynamics of the game.
With this result, Inter Miami reached seven points and is positioned in second place in the Eastern Conference. The team is now preparing to travel to Jamaica to play the away match in the Round of 16 of the Concacaf Champions League against Cavalier.
Mascherano did not confirm Messi's presence in this upcoming match but suggested that if he progresses favorably from his muscle overload, he could return to the starting eleven. The Argentine commented in the press conference that the initial intention was for Messi to gain minutes, but given the circumstances of the match, they decided to preserve him to avoid risking injury.
The Argentine star has been out of the team’s last two commitments due to physical issues, and the coaching staff deemed it better not to risk him in this match. Mascherano emphasized the importance of having Messi in top condition and indicated that they need him to be at 100% for the team's upcoming challenges.
