Tata Martino has now confirmed whether or not Lionel Messi will be fit to start for Inter Miami in their final pre-season match against Newell’s Old Boys.
The Herons host the Argentine side in Fort Lauderdale this Thursday in what will be an emotional evening for the Inter Miami captain, with Messi facing his boyhood club Newell’s for the first time.
The undisputed Greatest of all Time came through the Rosario-based club’s ranks, scoring an insane 234 goals and forming part of the club’s famed ‘The Machine of ’87’ youth team before joining FC Barcelona.
And speaking to the press via El Liberal, Inter Miami manager Martino has now confirmed that Messi will start against Newell’s, with the coach saying: “Leo is fine and will start. He’s a starter.”
With Messi’s fitness causing headlines and an international incident in Hong Kong, confirmation from Martino that the forward will start this week against Newell’s is a huge boost for Inter Miami.
Moreover, it’s a sign that the attacker could be fully fit in time for the new MLS season, with Inter Miami kicking the year off next week against Real Salt Lake.
Lionel Messi will want to impress for Inter Miami against Newell’s Old Boys
Newell’s are a club that means a lot to Messi, with the Argentine superstar still a fan of his boyhood team and clearly eager to one day finish his career back home in Rosario.
Which is why this pre-season friendly will mean more to Messi, with the attacker finally getting the chance to share the pitch with the team he came through at as a youngster.
With Messi now confirmed to be starting, the attacker will want to give it all against his former club, with Inter Miami, in general, in need of a big performance heading into the start of the MLS season.
This will be the last chance for the Herons to send a message to the rest of the league, and based on pre-season results this year, Inter Miami needs something big from Messi and company on Thursday.