Javier Mascherano hinted that Lionel Messi could be equipped for Inter Miami in MLS, with Toronto FC next Sunday.
Miami was on an unbeaten line of nine games in all competitions before he suffered a 1-0 defeat against Los Angeles FC in their Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals first stage in midweek.
In MLS, the herons are at the top of the Eastern Conference at 13 points, after they have won their last four games on the leap after opening the season with a draw.
Mascherano, however, admitted that Messi could sit out of the Toronto game to make it available next week and make it fresh for the second stage against Lafc.
“We will talk to him as we always do, just like we do with most players,” he said. “Of course I have an idea, but it is open to discussion.
“In addition to the fact that Wednesday's game is one of the most important games since the start of the season, we cannot ignore that what we do will have an impact on Wednesday. It is not something to overlook.”
There was also some criticism of Messi's performance against Lafc after he had drawn a blank, although he tried a game-high five shots in the game and created one chance.
“He is a player who understands the game when no one else,” added Mascherano. “He must be one of the few players in the world who always does what the game asks for.
“If he is deeper, it is because he is looking for where to receive the ball and where an impact can be made.”
to Mia vs tfc pic.twitter.com/f0ttu3zyyd
– Inter Miami CF (@intermiamicf) April 4, 2025
In the meantime, Toronto has made a scorching start of the 2025 season and is second of the bottom in the table after earning only two points.
They earned a big point against the West leaders, Vancouver WhiteCaps, last weekend, and head coach Robin Fraser emphasized the importance of his players who worked together in another difficult test.
“We don't even have to go into the amount of talent they have in that team,” he said.
“For us it is another week where we have to work very hard, we have to work coherently as a unit, defend well and take care of the ball.
“It is a team that you can hurt in so many ways, so we have to be a real, really solid group; it's about what we do collective.”
Players to watch
Inter Miami – Lionel Messi
Messi has contributed to at least one goal in all competitions in 10 straight home competitions for Inter Miami, a total of 15 target contributions during that run.
This is Messi's longest run of a successive club home games with a goal contribution since a stunning run of 14 straight ahead with Barcelona in 2015-16.
Toronto FC – Deybi Flores
The seven shots of Toronto against Vancouver on Saturday have contributed an expected goals value of 0.77, whereby Deybi Flores is responsible for the highest individual total (0.34 XG) even though they have only one effort.
It marked the 41st time since the beginning of the 2023 season that Toronto FC had an expected goals in total under 1.00 in a competition, five more than any other team at the time.
Miami Up Next
Sunday Night Soccer Pres. By @continentaltire
View on #mlseasonpass: pic.twitter.com/f9zwletcar
– Toronto FC (@torontofc) 4 April 2025
Match forecast: Inter Miami Win
Inter Miami has won all six of their home games against Toronto FC and scored the Reds 19-6 in those matches. Only Seattle Sounders (eight vs. Minnesota United), Atlanta United (Seven vs. Chicago Fire) and Tampa Bay Mutiny (seven vs. San Jose Earthquakes) have a better 100% home record against a single opponent in the history of MLS.
Miami expanded their undefeated run of the regular season from the club record to 16 games (W12 D4) with a 2-1 win over Philadelphia Union last week.
The herons have only lost two of their last 32 games in the regular season from the beginning of April 2024 (W23 D7).
In the meantime, Toronto has earned only two points this season and is on the way to their second worst start of a season in club history through six games (no points in 2012). The Reds are one of a record of five MLS teams with two points or less to six games this season after only one of the first 29 seasons of the competition had more than one such team (three in 2019).
Opta wins probability
Inter Miami – 78.2%
Drawing – 13.2%
Toronto FC – 8.7%
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