Miami makes decision on Lionel Messi’s availability for NYCFC match

September 18, 2024

New York soccer fans can breathe easy knowing that they should get a chance to see Lionel Messi play at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.

How long he plays is another story.

Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino told reporters Tuesday that Messi will be available for Wednesday’s game against Atlanta United and the showdown with NYCFC in The Bronx.

Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates his first goal during the Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season football match between Inter Miami and Philadelphia Union at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, September 14, 2024. — Lionel Messi celebrates his first goal during Inter Miami’s 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Union at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Sept. 14, 2024. AFP via Getty Images

But his availability comes with a catch, with Martino adding that the club would be careful not to overexpose Messi on the field and risk any further injury for the star.

Messi only just returned to the Inter Miami lineup over the weekend in a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Union after being sidelined since July 14 after he suffered a right ankle sprain in the Cop America final.

“Leo is fine, he ended the game well. Tired, obviously,” Martino said about Messi, who played 105 minutes last Saturday, according to ESPN. “It’s the first 90 minutes in a long time, but it ended very well. He is going to travel to both games. He is available but there are three games this week with travel included, so we have to see it day by day.”

Saturday will mark the first time this season that Messi will have competed in an MLS game in the New York metropolitan area.

Inter Miami did visit Red Bull Arena earlier this year, but the Argentinian was with the national team and did not play.

NYCFC missed out on the chance to host Miami with Messi on their squad last year and will get their first chance to benefit from the added attention that comes with one of soccer’s greatest players taking the pitch at Yankee Stadium.

Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi warms up ahead of the Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season football match between Inter Miami and Philadelphia Union at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, September 14, 2024. — Lionel Messi warms up before Inter Miami’s win over Philadelphia. AFP via Getty Images

As of Tuesday night, the cheapest ticket to see the afternoon match in The Bronx was $162 on secondary ticket market SeatGeek and $130 on Vivid Seats.

Messi played one of his first games in the MLS last year in the tri-state area when Inter Miami faced the Red Bulls in August.

He didn’t enter the match until the 60th minute, scaring some of the record-setting 26,276 who purchased tickets for the match at Red Bull Arena.

Messi scored late in the game in what was a 2-0 win over the Red Bulls.