Is Lionel Messi playing vs. Montreal? Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano addresses star’s status for MLS return

With the participation in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 concluded, Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano addressed Lionel Messi’s fitness for the MLS return against CF Montreal.

Lionel Messi‘s run at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 ended last weekend with a heavy 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. As Inter Miami gears up to return to Major League Soccer play on Saturday, head coach Javier Mascherano addressed Messi’s status ahead of the match against CF Montreal.

The Herons impressed in the Club World Cup group stage, nearly edging Palmeiras for the top spot in Group A. But their campaign came to a quick halt in the Round of 16 against a dominant PSG. Now, the focus shifts back to MLS, where Inter Miami hopes to carry over its improved level of play.

Mascherano spoke to the media for the first time since Sunday’s loss, with all eyes on the domestic league. Asked if Messi will play against Montreal, the Argentine manager was direct. “Yes, why not?” he replied, quickly shutting down any notion of rest for the star forward.

He went on to elaborate: “Fortunately, we had a long week, which worked out well for us. We were able to give most of the players two days off, especially the ones who had played more minutes. Leo is available, and unless something unexpected happens, he will travel.”

Messi played the full 90 minutes in all four of Inter Miami’s Club World Cup matches—a notable feat considering his injury issues earlier in the 2025 season. With the Herons set to face CF Montréal at Saputo Stadium on Saturday at 7:30 PM ET, the Argentine captain looks poised to continue his strong run of form as Miami aims to climb the Eastern Conference standings.

Inter Miami dealing with injuries

Throughout the Club World Cup, Mascherano was without Drake Callender, Gonzalo Lujan, Yannick Bright, and David Ruiz due to injury. The situation worsened during the tournament, with Ian Fray and Noah Allen also going down. With squad depth now a concern, Mascherano spoke about the challenges of managing a packed schedule:

“We hope to get several of them back in the coming weeks. We have a lot of matches ahead, on top of the ones we’ve already played, and we’re going to need everyone. We’ll see how we rotate the squad without it being too noticeable. I’m not someone who likes to change 6 or 7 players at once because that doesn’t really help the team or the players. But we will find a way to manage minutes.”