Messi out, Falcon reinstated for Inter Miami vs. Pumas after red card rescinded
Inter Miami will be without its injured captain Lionel Messi on Wednesday night in a decisive Leagues Cup group game against Mexican club Pumas, coach Javier Mascherano confirmed.
Messi exited Saturday’s penalty shootout victory against Necaxa in the 11th minute with an upper right thigh injury. Although the team will miss the Argentine star, Mascherano assured it is nothing serious and he doesn’t expect a lengthy absence.
“I spoke with him yesterday and the club has communicated that it’s a minor injury,” the coach said. “Within the bad news, that is good news. Of course, we don’t like having him out, especially because there is always a lot of noise surrounding him when he misses games, but we also avoid setting exact timelines. He’s very special and tends to recover quickly from injuries, so we’ll take it day by day.
“He’s definitely out for [Wednesday], but after that, we’ll see how he progresses based on the tests from the medical staff and once he is ready he will rejoin us.”
The club did get some good news on Tuesday.
Maxi Falcon’s controversial red card that got him ejected from the penalty shootout win over Necaxa on Saturday was rescinded and he will be available to play against Pumas.
Tournament officials announced the news Tuesday morning, as Inter Miami players were on the field training.
“Inter Miami submitted a claim before the Leagues Cup 2025 Disciplinary Committee to rescind the red card issued to player Maximiliano Falcon in the match against Club Nexaca. The committee determined, based on Chapter XIII of the Leagues Cup Tournament regulations, to rescind the red card...therefore, the player will be eligible to participate in the upcoming match, and the Fair Play Table will be adjusted.”
The decision was especially important for Inter Miami because the team can clinch a spot in the quarterfinals with a win on Wednesday and Falcon’s defensive leadership has been critical in recent games. Miami sits in third place in the MLS tournament table with five points after two games and the top four move on to the knockout rounds. The teams just below Miami have four points.
A win over Pumas would ensure Miami a spot in the quarterfinals. It is possible for the team to advance with a penalty shootout win, but it would be more complicated as goal differential would be involved and there are several teams whose results would come into play.
Falcon was expelled from the Necaxa game in the 17th minute after slightly tugging on the shirt of Necaxa player Diber Cambindo as he raced toward the edge of the box, but had let go before the player fell down.
Mascherano harshly criticized officials after the game for ejecting Falcon without a video review. He added that it was wrong that the head referee, Daniel Quintero Huitron, is from Mexico because Necaxa is a Mexican club.
“Obviously, [Falcon’s reinstatement] is good news for us,” Mascherano said Tuesday about the overturning of the red card. “The club was able to appeal the sanction quickly, we felt it was an unjust all in the game, and this decision confirms that. Maxi is an important player on our team, as are all the players, and he is someone else we can use for the lineup.”
Defender Noah Allen added: “It’s good to have Maxi, it deserved to be overturned. He brings good energy, commands the back line, and is a good leader for all of us.”
Inter Miami will have its hands full against Pumas, which is in fifth place on the Liga MX table heading into the game and will be highly motivated to move into fourth to advance to the knockout rounds. Pumas, which has reached the knockout phase the previous two years, is tied with Toluca, Mazatlan and Juarez on five points.
Pumas will be missing Costa Rican national team goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who was sent off in second-half stoppage time in the 3-2 win against Atlanta United. He was replaced by 17-year-old keeper Rodrigo Parra, but it is unknown whether Parra will get the nod against Miami or whether coach Efrain Juarez will go with a more experienced keeper.
Two Pumas players to watch are midfielders Coco Carrasquilla, of the Panamanian national team, and Colombian Jose Caicedo. Carrasquilla scored two goals in the final 30 minutes against Atlanta.
“Clearly, Navas is a world-class keeper with a lot of experience, and we don’t know who will replace him,” Mascherano said. “Our plan doesn’t change either way. We plan to be protagonists against a team that has two very talented center midfielders, Carrassquilla and Caicedo. Everything goes through them. They also signed Pedro Vite, who was a great addition for all he did in Vancouver and had adapted well to Pumas. We are facing a very good team and it will be a big test for us.”
Allen expects another intense, emotionally-charged game against a Mexican opponent.
“You have a league in MLS that is growing every year, getting better and better, and Liga MX is more established, two countries battling to say who has the better league and national team,” Allen said. “At the end of the day, it’s a great rivalry to have. Two great leagues battling, we’re so close, so it’s going to be a fierce competition.”
Inter Miami resumes league play on Sunday with a road game against Orlando City. Miami sits fifth in the Eastern Conference with 42 points and three games in hand. Should Miami advance to the Leagues Cup quarterfinals, that game would be Aug. 19 or Aug. 20.
This story was originally published August 5, 2025 at 9:53 AM.