Inter Miami returns to MLS action after FIFA Club World Cup: Will Messi play in Montreal?

USA Today

7 hours ago

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Inter Miami's run in the FIFA Club World Cup ended nearly a week ago, and the team is ready to get back into the swing of the MLS season.
Lionel Messi is expected to travel and will be available to play for Inter Miami against CF Montreal during their July 5 match, coach Javier Mascherano said on July 4.
Mascherano said Inter Miami's players who played the most minutes during the Club World Cup had two days off to rest, following their exit in the Round of 16 against Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain on June 29.
The Montreal match will be Inter Miami's first in six days. It's unclear if Messi will start the match or come off the bench against Montreal, but his status will be confirmed when Inter Miami announces its lineup an hour before the 7:30 p.m. ET match.
More: What's next for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami after FIFA Club World Cup?
'Yes, why not?' Mascherano said when asked if Messi would travel and play in Montreal. 'Luckily we had a long week, which was good for us, as we were able to give most of the players two days off, especially those who had played the most minutes.
'And yes, Leo is available,' he added.
Watch every Club World Cup game free on DAZN
Mascherano said there will be some sort of rotation to manage minutes moving forward. The Montreal match starts a stretch of seven matches in 25 days until the end of July, including four matches on the road.
Inter Miami will also begin play in the Leagues Cup tournament between MLS and LIGA MX clubs from Mexico on July 30. They won the first Leagues Cup in 2023 shortly after Messi's arrival to the club.
Mascherano said Inter Miami's performance in the Club World Cup – where they beat Portuguese side FC Porto, had draws against Egyptian club Al Ahly and Brazilian club Palmeiras, before losing 4-0 to PSG – showed them they can chase the Leagues Cup title again and the MLS Cup title later this year.
'In a competition such as the Club World Cup, we were one of the weakest teams, and that was the reality. We had a great group stage. Then, unfortunately, we were drawn against the best team – let's say, the most powerful team you can find today, not only in European soccer, but in world soccer. But clearly, if we were able to compete at that level, there is no excuse for not being able to compete in our domestic league,' Mascherano said.
'Clearly, that has to be a boost for us and a confidence boost for everything we have to play from now on, which is not only in MLS, but also the League Cup starting at the end of this month.
'So that's the goal, and we'll try to push the players to perform at their best, because we've shown that even against opponents who are much stronger than us, we can compete on equal terms.'
More: Club World Cup is 'huge success.' World Cup will transform sport, New Jersey's Phil Murphy says
Inter Miami was in a tie for third place with 29 points in the MLS Eastern Conference standings before the Club World Cup, but are in seventh place as they resume play. Most of the league has played 19 or 20 games, while Inter Miami has played just 16 and will make up their total as the season progresses.
Montreal is in last place in the Eastern Conference with 14 points, and second-to-last in the league just ahead of the Los Angeles Galaxy – the 2024 MLS Cup champions, who are in last place with just nine points in 2025.
How to watch Montreal vs Inter Miami match?
The match will be available to live stream via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Messi, Inter Miami upcoming schedule in July