The odds of Lionel Messi playing for Inter Miami in a critical matchup on Saturday increased when the star forward didn't play Friday night for his national team.
Inter Miami are set to face off with Atlanta United on Saturday night at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
However, leading up to the match, Messi trained with the Argentine national team in preparation for a friendly against Venezuela on Friday night in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Before kickoff, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni announced Messi wouldn't play for La Albiceleste.
Prior to that announcement, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said Friday of the possibility that Messi could play for the Herons on Saturday, "If he doesn't play (with Argentina) and there's a chance, I'd be delighted. Imagine having Leo Messi. But the reality is, he hasn't been with us. The truth is, I haven't spoken to Leo. Now, we'll see what happens (Friday night) ... but it was never on my mind because Leo wasn't with us."
Inter Miami (17-7-8, 59 points) are preparing for their penultimate regular-season match against Atlanta United (5-15-12, 27 points).
Although the Philadelphia Union clinched the Supporters' Shield last week, Inter Miami still have plenty to play for as they try to draw level with Cincinnati for second place in the Eastern Conference. Each conference's top four finishers secure home-field advantage for the first playoff round.
Regardless of Messi's status, Inter Miami is likely to be short-handed with five other players -- Rodrigo De Paul, Telasco Segovia, Ian Fray, Mateo Silvetti and Noah Allen -- called up for national team duty this week.
"We will manage the best we can," Mascherano said. "We know we are going to have some absences on Saturday, so we want the players who stayed to be as fresh and ready as possible because, obviously, we want to get three points to secure third place and put pressure on Cincinnati heading into the final game."
Atlanta is expected to have as many as eight players out for the same reason, including the United States' Luke Brennan and Paraguay's Miguel Almiron.
Atlanta, which also has two matches remaining, is coming off back-to-back shutout losses and hasn't scored since a 1-1 draw with San Diego on Sept. 20. The Five Stripes are looking for their first win since blanking Nashville 1-0 on Aug 30. They need a victory in the last two matches to avoid finishing with a franchise low for league wins in a season.
"I've had struggles, always, in the first year before (in the) second year it got better, and third it got even better," first-year Atlanta United coach Ronny Deila said. "That's why I love this. I want to improve things."
Source: Reuters
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