Lionel Messi will kick off the new year with a trip to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to take on Mexican champions Club América.
It's been more than two months since Inter Miami last took the field, suffering a shock playoff loss to Atlanta United that ended their MLS Cup hopes. Lionel Messi and co. haven't played since mid-November, but the team returned to the practice facility this week as they embark on a new journey in 2025, when the focus on a championship will be more intense than ever before.
Inter Miami kick off their preseason fixtures this weekend with a match against Mexican giants Club América. América finished 2024 as the Liga MX Campeón de Campeones and have recently started the Clausura season, meaning they are already up to speed.
The game will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with kickoff on Saturday, January 18 at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT. The game will be streamed live for free on Apple TV+. For anyone without access to the MLS Season Pass service, this is a rare opportunity to watch Messi's Inter Miami without a subscription.
Will Lionel Messi play against Club América?
Last week, Inter Miami announced all the details of their five-game preseason schedule. The Herons will travel to Peru, Panama and Honduras ahead of the new MLS season, a busy schedule but less taxing than the ambitious global tour the team embarked on in 2024.
In addition to the US matches, Inter Miami's matches last year also went to El Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Japan, but these ended in controversy when Messi was forced to sit out a match. Fans in Hong Kong had paid up to $600 per ticket to see the Argentine World Cup winner in real life, but Messi was benched, forcing the organizing company to issue partial refunds to irate supporters.
Miami have set a more limited schedule this time around, suggesting they hope to ensure Lionel Messi can take part in every preseason match. But Messi is 37 years old and new head coach Javier Mascherano admitted he may have to limit his captain's playing time.
“We have several games in preseason and we will see how many minutes he plays depending on how he feels. We don't want to take any risks,” Mascherano said.
Inter Miami preseason 2025 schedule
The Herons will kick off their preparations this weekend with the friendly against America, the first chance to see how Mascherano's Miami stack up. Former head coach Tata Martino fluctuated between a 4-3-3 and a 3-5-2 in 2024, playing different systems depending on the availability of players like Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets.
The preseason matches could reveal Mascherano's plans for the team as he tries to balance the ex-Barcelona quartet's ball talents with the need to include younger, more energetic players.
Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas said this year's tour will be different from last year's more frenetic affair. Speaking to reporters, Mas confirmed: “We will do a tour, but it will be one where we take care of the players' physical needs first and foremost. It will be different from last year. To ensure that the players can have a good season, we will not compromise their well-being for global fame. This preseason will be different.”
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