Overview
- Head coach Guillermo Hoyos confirmed Messi is fit and expected to start Miami’s Leagues Cup opener on Wednesday, giving the club its main attacking option after the World Cup.
- Luis Suárez will miss the entire Leagues Cup because of a six-match tournament suspension issued after a spitting incident following the 2025 final.
- Germán Berterame remains in Inter Miami’s medical protocol after a heavy collision against CF Montréal and has not yet received full clearance for the opener.
- Hoyos is reshaping the front line with Messi on the right and Mateo Silvetti likely moved into a central target role, with Rodrigo De Paul and Daniel Pinter among the midfield and wing supports.
- Suárez had been in hot form before his ban and Messi returned as a second-half substitute in the 2-2 draw with Columbus Crew on August 2, so the club’s short-term depth and rotation will determine how far Miami can go in the group that includes San Luis, Monterrey and León.