Messi status still cloudy for Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United home game Saturday
Dark clouds and questions about Lionel Messi’s availability hung over Inter Miami’s training session Friday morning as the team prepared for its regular-season home finale Saturday against Atlanta United.
Messi has been with the Argentina national team all week, training at Inter Miami’s facilities ahead of a Friday night friendly against Venezuela at Hard Rock Stadium; but it remained uncertain as of Friday afternoon whether he would play in that game or sit out and play for his club team Saturday night against Atlanta.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni left the door open, saying Thursday that he would speak to Messi before making his lineup decision. He added that he planned to use this match and another against Puerto Rico on Tuesday at Chase Stadium to evaluate less-experienced players.
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano was equally noncommittal when he was asked Friday morning if Messi would be available for the Atlanta game, an important match that could help Miami finish runner-up in the Eastern Conference with a victory.
“Leo is with the national team, along with Rodrigo [De Paul], since Monday, that’s all I can say,” Mascherano said.
When pressed as to whether Messi is discarded for the Atlanta game, Mascherano replied: “Leo is with the national team. The national team plays [Friday night]. That’s what we know.”
Mascherano said he had not spoken to Scaloni or Messi about the situation.
“I won’t say he can’t play Saturday, but he has been called up to play for Argentina, and they have a game against Venezuela,” the coach said. “If he doesn’t play [Friday] and if there’s a possibility he could play Saturday, I’d be delighted. Imagine being able to have Lionel Messi. But the reality is that he hasn’t been with us all week.”
He conceded that even if Messi missed all week of training with Miami, he would be ready. “Leo can play at any moment,” Mascherano said.
Messi is co-leader in the MLS Golden Boot race with 24 goals and ranks second in the league with 17 assists. He played the full 90 minutes in a seven-game stretch over 21 days in September and early October. As captain of the team, he is highly motivated to lift an MLS Cup, the only trophy left in Miami’s reach this season.
Miami sits in third place in the East after a 4-1 win over the New England Revolution last weekend, the team’s fourth victory in the past six matches.
With or without Messi, Inter Miami will be favored over Atlanta, which has just five wins in 32 games and is in 14th place in the Eastern conference. Atlanta has lost 15 of 16 road games this season.
Miguel Almiron (Paraguay) is among the Atlanta players missing for national team duty. Others are Luke Brennan (U20 World Cup), Ronald Hernadez (Venezuela), Enea Mihaj (Albania), Alexei Miranchuk (Russia), and Bartosz Slisa (Poland).
Miami players missing include Telasco Segovia (Venezuela), Noah Allen (Greece U21), and Mateo Silvetti (Argentina U20 World Cup). Fafa Picault was called up by the Haiti national team, but got permission to stay with Inter Miami during the FIFA window.
Miami starting centerback Maxi Falcon is unavailable, as he serves a one-game suspension for the accumulation of five yellow cards.
Saturday will be the last time Inter Miami fans can see former Barcelona legends Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in a home regular season game, as both announced their retirements in the past few weeks. The club hosted a tribute to Busquets after the New England game and another for Alba is scheduled for Saturday night.
Alba, 36, met with the media on Friday morning and discussed his surprise decision to retire. He is in peak form, scored a pair of goals last week and is second on the team with 13 assists. He had signed a two-year contract extension in May but had a change of heart.
“It’s true that I renewed my contract in May and now it’s October, which has not been that long, but the conversations started much earlier,” Alba said. “It’s a decision I’ve been contemplating and three or four weeks ago I communicated it to the team, to the club. Obviously, I’m still physically fine and could play longer, but I’ve weighed everything and I think the most honest, fair thing to do is step aside.”
Asked what changed his mind, Alba said: “Just like you, humans can change their mind from one day to the next. Mine has been several months. To be in a place where I’m not going to be 100 percent or not going to give everything I want to give or perhaps what I should give, well, I prefer to step aside. I think it’s the right time.”
Alba plans to move back to Spain with his family and immerse himself in a project to revitalize his hometown club, L’Hospitalet. He announced that project in April, and Mascherano said he has already seen Alba focused on that mission over the past few months.
“It’s difficult [to lose Alba], but we knew it a few days ago, both he and Busquets told the group before it was released to the press,” Mascherano said, adding that he had an inkling this could be coming.
“Well, look, sometimes you talk, you suspect things, but it always comes as a surprise, especially when a player is in his prime. He’s in his prime. It’s not like his stats have dropped, or the number of games he plays a year, he’s had very few injuries.
“But these are personal decisions. You don’t have to reach a stage in your career where you get injured a lot or no longer have as much continuity. Everyone does it their own way. He’s totally convinced, and obviously he knows he could play for one or two more years. But he doesn’t want to. He wants to retire and wants to start a different kind of life, and that’s totally fine.”
Argentina-Puerto Rico moved to Fort Lauderdale
The friendly between Argentina and Puerto Rico scheduled for Monday at Soldier Field in Chicago was moved to Tuesday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (8 p.m.) Protests about immigration and sagging ticket sales were among the reasons cited for the move, according to sources. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
The Puerto Rico roster includes Miami FC players Nicolas Cardona, Gerald Diaz, and Ricardo Rivera.
This story was originally published October 10, 2025 at 3:00 PM.