The Inter Miami captain showed some discomfort in the second half of last week’s Concacaf Champions Cup tilt vs. Sporting Kansas City, leading to him being substituted in the 69th minute before heading straight to the locker room and never returning.

Inter Miami CF head coach Javier Mascherano said he changed the game plan after goalkeeper Oscar Ustari received a red card against Charlotte FC at Chase Stadium, preventing Lionel Messi from coming off the bench as a substitute.

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami will host Cavalier of Jamaica in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16. In their initial games of 2025, Inter Miami achieved a key milestone by defeating Sporting Kansas City and securing their place in the Round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.