Lionel Messi expected back for Inter Miami vs. L.A. Galaxy game Saturday

Miami Herald

2 days ago

Lionel Messi is expected to return to the Inter Miami lineup for Saturday's home game against the Los Angeles Galaxy after missing two games due to injury, according to coach Javier Mascherano.
He comes back just as the team embarks on a critical week and tries to rebound from a humbling 4-1 loss to Orlando City last weekend.
Following the Galaxy game, Inter Miami plays Mexican club Tigres on Wednesday in the Leagues Cup quarterfinal.
Messi injured his hamstring on August 2 in the first half of Miami's win over Necaxa in the Leagues Cup. He sat out the 3-1 win against Pumas and the Orlando game.
'Leo is fine. He's been training with the team since Wednesday,' Mascherano said before training Friday morning. 'Barring anything strange [happening Friday], he should make the squad for Saturday's match.'
Midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, who missed a few days of practice this week while getting his visa paperwork finalized, returned to training on Friday and will be available, as well.
Messi, the reigning league MVP, leads the MLS Golden Boot race with 18 goals and nine assists in 18 games.
He and his teammates are looking to climb in the league standings after slipping to sixth place in the East with 11 games remaining.
They will be favored at home against the defending MLS Cup champion Galaxy, which plummeted to last place this season with the league's worst record (three wins, 15 losses and seven ties). Los Angeles has given up 52 goals through 25 games, the worst defensive record in the league.
The Galaxy is winless in 15 road games and coming off a 4-1 loss to the Seattle Sounders. Galaxy star Riqui Puig has been out all season with a knee injury, but the roster includes high quality players such as Marco Reus, Edwin Cerrillo and Diego Fagundez.
Despite L.A.'s league record, Mascherano said his team cannot afford to take the game lightly. The Galaxy managed to advance to the Leagues Cup quarterfinals by scoring 10 goals through its three group games, and coach Greg Vanney said that was proof that the team was finally re-finding its form.
'For me, they're a team in which the MLS standings don't reflect their quality, especially the quality of their players,' Mascherano said. 'The reality is that maybe they didn't start the season well because of injuries and different situations. But they've improved a lot over the last few months.'
Defender Gonzalo Lujan agreed: 'We are coming from a tough loss, a result we did not expect. To have a long week helped us to prepare for this upcoming game and I think we'll be ready. More than the results, we know it will be a tough opponent. We have to be more focused from the start and not allow any early goals.'
Inter Miami may be strengthening its defense in the coming week, before the MLS transfer window closes. The club on Thursday acquired a 2025 International Roster Slot from Toronto FC in exchange for $175,000 in General Allocation Money.
Argentine defender Gonzalo Piovi, who plays for Mexican club Cruz Azul, is in negotiations with Inter Miami about a transfer, according to multiple published reports.
'Until the last day of the window, we will see options,' said Mascherano, who would not mention any names. 'We have a fairly complete roster for the final three months and should be fine. Maybe in a few positions we could use reinforcements. I don't like to bring players just to bring players.'
Mascherano shared some insight into the transfer of Redondo to Spanish club Elche, which is owned by Redondo's agent Christian Bragarnik, an Argentinean businessman. The coach said once the club signed De Paul, Redondo realized that would limit his playing time and he asked to be moved.
Although it has not been announced, a club source confirmed that goalkeeper Drake Callender, the team co-captain and a star in 2023 and 2024, was traded to Charlotte FC. He has played only three games this season as he dealt with injuries and sports hernia surgery.
'It is not concrete, but if it comes to be, we have to understand that Drake's contract expires at the end of this season, so if there is a time for the club to negotiate a move, it had to be now,' Mascherano said.
'If not, in December he becomes a free agent. Unfortunately, we could not count on him these seven month, other than the Dallas game, but otherwise, he was unavailable due to injuries. He and the club were searching for a solution to his situation. He is an important figure in this team's short history, one of the captains, but he had not reached an agreement for a new contract with the club, and they had to make the move.'