The next stop on Inter Miami's preseason Americas tour is Honduras, where the Herons are set to clash with Olimpia, but Lionel Messi's status ahead of the match is in question.
Inter Miami finally secured their first non-penalty shootout victory under Javier Mascherano, but the 1–3 win against Sporting San Miguelito did not come without a few concerning moments. Sporting San Miguelito midfielder Aymar Cundumi was sent off in the 71st minute after committing a reckless challenge on Messi that prompted both sides to come together.
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Mascherano took Messi out of the game just six minutes later. The tackle, combined with Messi's heavy minutes this preseason, have fans wondering if the FIFA World Cup winner will play against Olimpia or if Miami will take a more cautious approach with their reigning MLS MVP.
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Will Lionel Messi Play for Inter Miami vs. Olimpia?
Yes, Messi will play for Inter Miami when the Herons take on Olimpia. The Argentine has featured in every match of Miami's preseason tour throughout the Americas and will once again lace up his boots on Saturday night, this time in Honduras.
The only question remains if Messi will start or feature off the bench. Mascherano recently confirmed that Miami will continue to monitor Messi's minutes in the lead up to the Concacaf Champions Cup and the start of the MLS season.
“[Messi] has been playing more minutes each game, and has finished the three games well,” Mascherano said. “We’ll see going forward whether he starts and how much he plays. Nobody knows their body better than Leo. We will manage his minutes based on how he feels."
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has logged 216 minutes this preseason in his three starts. He is in line to get the nod against Olimpia, though, and then he will likely see his minutes decrease in Miami's final preseason match against Orlando City in preparation for the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup against Sporting Kansas City just four days later.
Miami will not want to take any risks with their superstar, but they will still give fans in Honduras the chance to see one of the greatest athletes of all time play. Then, the club will have to make their final decision about Messi's involvement in the Orlando City game.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Will Lionel Messi Play for Inter Miami vs. Olimpia?.
