Inter Miami CF are set to close out their preseason schedule on Friday night against MLS rivals Orlando City SC, ahead of their Concacaf Champions Cup opener on Feb. 18 against Sporting Kansas City.
Fresh off a 5-0 win over Honduran side Club Olimpia Deportivo, Messi and Miami head back to their home state and Tampa to face the Lions in a preseason friendly.
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It’s been a travel-heavy preseason for the Herons, trotting their way across the Americas with matches in Peru, Panama, Honduras and the United States, showcasing their star-studded talent to a broader audience.
After the preseason friendly, Miami will have one more match ahead of Feb. 22’s MLS kickoff, facing Sporting Kansas City on Feb. 18 in Concacaf Champions Cup action.
Will Lionel Messi Play vs. Orlando City SC?
According to head coach Javier Mascherano, Messi is expected to play against Orlando. The Argentine No. 10 is likely to play at least 45 minutes on Friday night, with Mascherano offering no indication of how those minutes may be managed.
“It is important the players arrive at the game in Kansas [City] in rhythm,” Mascherano told reporters. “Obviously, as it is the preseason, we try to be cautious because the players came in after a two-month layoff, and we did not want to take any kind of risk...Not only Leo but the other players too, who are not used to having such a long off-season.”
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So far this preseason, Messi played 66 minutes in Las Vegas against Club América, 73 minutes against Universitario in Peru, 77 minutes against San Miguelito in Panama and 63 in Honduras against Olimpia.
Messi had a goal and assist in the 5-0 win over Olimpia.
In addition to the preseason matches, several Miami stars, including Messi, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suárez, took in the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) February 9, 2025
Will Miami wear a new kit?
Inter Miami released a second new kit for 2025 and 2026, the “Euforia” kit, following Messi’s appearance in a Super Bowl ad on Sunday. There’s been no indication of whether they will debut the new kit or save it until he start of their competitive season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Will Lionel Messi Play for Inter Miami in Final Preseason Match vs. Orlando City SC?.
