Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano says Lionel Messi is “fine” and available to play Porto on Thursday in the MLS side’s second Club World Cup game.
The former Barcelona star is key to Miami’s hopes of making it out of group A and has been prominent in the marketing of the newly-expanded FIFA tournament this summer.
Mascherano was asked at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday about suggestions the 37-year-old was a doubt for the game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta after being spotted touching his leg in training.
“I saw that in some places it was being talked about. But no, no, it’s nothing. (Messi) is fine,” he said.
“He trained, and more importantly, he trained well. And actually, we were talking right when I saw that the cameras ended up focusing — focusing on him touching his leg. It’s nothing. Nothing at all. People sometimes just touch themselves, right? But no, nothing happened. He’s fine. And obviously, he’s going to play tomorrow.”
Messi captained Inter Miami at their Club World Cup opener against Al Ahly, a 0-0 draw, and played the whole game. All four teams in the group are tied on a point each, with the US side concluding their group campaign against Palmeiras on June 24. The top two teams at that point will progress to the knockouts.
The MLS side qualified for the Club World Cup as host representatives after winning the 2024 Supporters’ Shield.
While the 2025 competition is the first edition of the Club World Cup under a new, expanded format, Messi won the previous iteration on three occasions with Barcelona in 2009, 2011 and 2015.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner previously suffered a “low-grade” left adductor injury in March after completing the 90 minutes and scoring against Atlanta United.
The injury forced him to take two weeks out and prevented him from playing in Argentina’s March World Cup qualifiers, against Uruguay and Brazil.
(Top photo: Ahmed Awaad/NurPhoto via Getty Images).
