Many supporters feared the worst—that Messi might have picked up another injury. However, Inter Miami’s assistant coach, Javier Morales, clarified after the match that Messi’s absence was not due to injury but a “strategic rest.” Morales explained that Messi had played the full 90 minutes in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 against Nashville SC just days earlier. “Given the demanding schedule, with matches every Wednesday and Saturday, and an important home fixture coming up, the coaching staff decided to give Messi this match off to preserve his energy,” Morales said.
Messi was not the only Argentine missing from the squad; Rodrigo De Paul was also absent. Their absence meant that Luis Suárez, the Uruguayan striker known as ‘El Pistolero,’ had to lead the attack largely on his own. This match marked Suárez’s first start of the season in the opening eleven. Despite creating several scoring opportunities, he struggled to find the back of the net without Messi’s usual support, leaving the team with a hard-fought but ultimately goalless result.
Inter Miami’s current performance and league standing after four matches can be summarised as follows:
| Match | Opponent | Result | Goals Scored | Points | League Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inter Miami vs Charlotte FC | 0-0 Draw | 0 | 1 | 3rd | |
| Inter Miami vs Nashville SC | 2-1 Win | 2 | 3 | 3rd | |
| Inter Miami vs Las Vegas | 3-2 Win | 3 | 3 | 3rd | |
| Inter Miami vs Seattle | 1-1 Draw | 1 | 1 | 3rd |
With seven points from four matches, Inter Miami currently sits third in the Major League Soccer table. While the team managed to secure a point against Charlotte, the absence of key players like Messi and De Paul was noticeable, particularly in the creation and conversion of scoring chances.
The decision to rest Messi highlights the strategic approach taken by the coaching staff to manage the Argentine’s workload amid a congested schedule. With several critical fixtures ahead, preserving Messi’s fitness could prove decisive in sustaining Inter Miami’s challenge across both domestic and international competitions.