Is Lionel Messi playing tonight for Inter Miami against Atletico San Luis? | OneFootball

We are hours away from Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup against Atlético San Luis at 7:30 pm ET. The good side for the Heron fans is that, on paper, no media or persona would think anything other than a victory for Guillermo Hoyos.

Another question mark is whether Lionel Messi will play in this match. Let's remember two crucial factors for Inter Miami: Luis Suárez is suspended following the incidents he was involved in during last year's tournament final against the Seattle Sounders.

Also, Messi, the captain, returned for a few minutes in the match against Columbus Crew. So, following that trend, the Herons' captain is expected to be in the starting lineup.

Is Lionel Messi playing tonight for Inter Miami’s debut against Atlético San Luis?

As discussed in the introduction, Lionel Messi was subbed from the bench to play against Columbus Crew last Saturday.

With this move by Guillermo Hoyos, one could imagine, by connecting the dots, that the GOAT is fit for this encounter, knowing that San Luis isn’t a tough opponent in the preview.

However, Inter Miami should not be egocentric, because anyone can beat anyone in this sport.

First of all, and to clear this up: Lionel Messi is expected to start tonight against Atletico San Luis. The predicted lineup for this encounter is: Rocco Ríos; Ian Fray, Gonzalo Luján, Micael Sergio Reguilón; Rodrigo De Paul, Casemiro, Yannick Bright, Segovia; Lionel Messi and Germán Berterame.

Now, the addition of the GOAT is an immense boost for the Herons, as they won’t have Luis Suarez on the field. Given his impressive recent form, losing the Uruguayan striker is a significant setback for Inter Miami.

Let's remember that Messi missed Inter Miami's last few matches because of the mandatory vacation period required by FIFA after playing in the World Cup final against Spain.

During those games, Inter Miami still maintained its attacking strength. It's true that the team had a bit more difficulty finding spaces on the ball without its captain, but Hoyos found the right solutions, leading the Herons to victories in every match since the competition resumed.

Still, having the GOAT in your starting lineup is an advantage every club dreams of. In truth, Lionel Messi likely won’t need to exert himself fully, as the opposition’s defense, at least on paper, appears far from formidable.

That means Messi can afford to play with one or two touches, without performing unnecessary runs in search of an open teammate.