Culture Axis: New Preds, Messi answers 'Stoke' question & more

Flimsy Liverpool risk letting down Messi-like Salah in title race

The Curious Case of Marcelo

Man Utd three-peat or MLS? Pogba's transfer options - ranked

UCL Power Rankings: Barca No.1 after lucky draw as Liverpool fall

Editors' Picks

Walker’s wife Kilner jets to Dubai for night out with Rooney

'I regret leaving Barca' - Former wonderkid admits mistake after Camp Nou exit

Antony's hot Betis start is over as Barca flop Roque sees red

Bompastor admits 'lying for 13 years' over secret relationship

UCL last-16 draw: Liverpool land PSG, Arsenal face PSV

Maguire, you lucky boy! VAR & Bruno save despairing Amorim

How to watch Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2 from anywhere

Title race run? Lewis-Skelly red card madness costs Arsenal

<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Inter Miami kick off MLS campaign</li><li>Lionel Messi may miss out on opener</li><li>Played in minus-eight degrees on Wednesday</li></ul><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va2ivxLJJhzdzbJdwo0n"><strong>Follow GOAL on WhatsApp!</strong></a> 🟢📱</td></tr></tbody></table>

Could Lionel Messi miss Inter Miami's MLS season opener? Javier Mascherano admits some stars will be unavailable for New York City FC clash after 'unprecedented' turnaround from freezing Kansas trip

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Inter Miami CF

Sporting Kansas City

<p>Miami were in action in freezing temperatures in <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lionel-messi-delivers-stunning-winner-in-coldest-game-in-career-in-inter-miami-s-1-0-win-vs-sporting-kc-in-the-concacaf-champions-cup-round-1-first-leg/blt06e9d5ee5c090b2b" target="_blank">the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup against Sporting Kansas City in midweek</a>, a game that took plenty out of their key players. Mascherano could not confirm that Lionel Messi and other stars would recover in time for the league opener with New York City FC.</p>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>If anyone ever really questioned whether Messi could do it on a freezing Wednesday night, the midweek trip to Kansas surely answered their question. The Argentina legend scored a superb goal to inspire his side to a 1-0 victory in alien conditions, with former Barcelona team-mates Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez also playing from the start.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">MESSI SCORES TO BREAK THE DEADLOCK FOR MIAMI! <a href="https://t.co/1JsnQCU5G6">pic.twitter.com/1JsnQCU5G6</a></p>— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1892398894136590607?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>Mascherano said: "We are prepared and above all recovering from the match on Wednesday. Everyone is not available for tomorrow. I'm not going to tell you who, I'm not going to give you clues. The majority of players are available. We're not even 48 hours away from the game we played in Kansas. Everyone saw the conditions we played in. That also requires us to wait a little longer for the players to recover. It's been an unprecedented situation for everyone."</p>

WHAT MASCHERANO SAID

<p>Messi has one year left on his Inter Miami contract, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/my-place-is-there-lionel-messi-tells-family-friend-he-will-return-to-barcelona-after-mls-stint-inter-miami/blte596d9e07387d79d" target="_blank">with the club desperate to win as much silverware as possible during his stay</a>. The coveted MLS Cup would perhaps be top of that list, but it still seems possible he will sit out of the league opener on Saturday.</p>

WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI AND INTER MIAMI?

Could Lionel Messi miss Inter Miami's MLS season opener? Javier Mascherano admits some stars will be unavailable for New York City FC clash after 'unprecedented' turnaround from freezing Kansas trip | Goal.com

Javier Mascherano confirmed some players will miss Inter Miami&apos;s MLS opener on Saturday after Lionel Messi and his team-mates played in minus-eight degrees on Wednesday evening.

Could Lionel Messi miss Inter Miami&apos;s MLS season opener? Javier Mascherano admits some stars will be unavailable for New York City FC clash after &apos;unprecedented&apos; turnaround from freezing Kansas trip

Next Match