Inside Inter Miami: Still unbeaten, but when will Lionel Messi return?
So far, mostly so good for Inter Miami in 2025.
The club is 5-0-1 across all competitions, which includes a 3-0 start in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
It also includes three wins in its past three matches while resting superstar Lionel Messi.
So when will the icon return to the pitch?
On the latest episode of Inside Inter Miami, hosts Michelle Kaufman and Andre Fernandez discuss when that realistically could be with the club scheduled to travel to Jamaica for the second leg of its Champions Cup Round of 16 matchup with Cavalier on Thursday night.
The team needs to balance this trip with a potentially crucial and emotionally-charged rematch Sunday night at Atlanta United - the team that eliminated Miami in the first round of the MLS playoffs a year ago.
Here are some of the other topics Kaufman and Fernandez discussed on a jam-packed episode:
▪ We review the club’s win over Cavalier and a resilient defensive performance in a 1-0 victory over Charlotte FC in MLS season play. ICYMI, the team won despite losing Oscar Ustari to a red card and playing with 10 players for more than half of the match.
▪ We talk about Tadeo Allende’s hot start and his four-game scoring streak as well as the repercussions of the club’s third red card in as many games, which could massively strain their goalkeeper depth for the match vs. Atlanta.
▪ Luis Suarez continues to be the engine that drives the club’s offense not just by scoring, but by his creativity as a distributor.
▪ And we dive heavily into the team’s major turnaround on defense, highlighting Yannick Bright and Noah Allen’s contributions. And congrats to Allen, who was invited to play for the Greek national team.
▪ This and updates on key injured players and the team’s latest Argentine signing - midfielder Baltasar Rodriguez, who is on loan from Argentine club, Racing.
▪ Remember, you can watch this show on YouTube and on our site at miamiherald.com. The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple podcasts, and most other platforms where you listen to your pods. Thank you for watching and listening, and enjoy!
This story was originally published March 12, 2025 at 4:00 AM.
