Lionel Messi could potentially return to action on Thursday night as Inter Miami faces Cavalier FC in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup round-of-16 showdown.
Messi’s game status is up in the air: He is listed as a substitute in Inter Miami’s starting lineup, but it’s unclear whether he will even play at all despite traveling with the team.
Messi has missed Inter Miami’s last three games due to fatigue, but could be needed against the eager Jamaican Premier League champions at National Stadium in Kingston. Inter Miami leads the Champions Cup series against Cavalier with a 2-0 aggregate score.
Messi and Inter Miami arrived in Jamaica on Wednesday night to a hero’s welcome, where he was greeted off the plane by Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.
Messi was also featured on the front and back covers of the Jamaica Observer newspaper on Thursday, with a photo of Grange presenting Messi with a t-shirt of Bob Marley playing soccer.
Messi scores goal: Inter Miami wins 4-0 on aggregate score vs. Cavalier FC
Lionel Messi ensured fans in Jamaica went home with a memory of a lifetime, scoring in the final minute against Cavalier FC.
Messi enters Cavalier vs. Inter Miami match in second half
Lionel Messi immediately fired a shot over the net in his first possession. He is making his first appearance in Jamaica, coming off the bench for Inter Miami and entering in the 53rd minute. Inter Miami essentially has a 4-0 lead on aggregate score, thanks to Luis Suarez’ away goal earlier in the match. Messi replaced Suarez in the lineup, and was given the captain’s armband by Sergio Busquets as he entered the pitch.
Luis Suarez goal: Inter Miami 1, Cavalier FC 0 (Inter Miami leads 3-0 on aggregate)
Luis Suarez has scored a penalty in the 37th minute to increase Inter Miami’s lead against Cavalier in the Champions Cup round of 16.
Inter Miami’s Tadeo Allende was tripped in the penalty area by Cavalier defender Christopher Ainsworth in the 35th minute, creating the opportunity.
Messi remains on the bench, and it’s unclear whether he will make an appearance in Jamaica.
How to watch Cavalier FC vs. Inter Miami match on Thursday?
The Cavalier FC vs. Inter Miami match will be available to watch on FS2 in English, and on TUDN and ViX in Spanish.
What time does Cavalier FC vs. Inter Miami match begin?
The match begins at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. in Jamaica, 9 p.m. in Argentina).
Is Messi playing tonight in Jamaica?
It’s possible Messi could play. He is listed as a substitute in Inter Miami’s starting lineup, announced an hour before the match begins. Here are the starting lineups for both clubs:
Messi arrives in Jamaica with Inter Miami
How many games has Messi missed?
Messi has not played in the last three Inter Miami matches, but was anticipated to return off the bench last Sunday at home against Charlotte FC.
However, Inter Miami was forced to play with 10 players after goalie Oscar Ustari was given a red card and ejected in the first half of the match. Instead of playing without a goalie, Mascherano substituted midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi out of the match for backup goalie Rocco Ríos Novo. Mascherano said he didn’t want to risk playing Messi in the match while down a player.
Messi did not travel to Inter Miami’s 4-1 win against the Houston Dynamo on March 2, and did not play in Inter Miami’s first leg against Cavalier FC last Thursday.
Messi predominately played in three matches during a six-day stretch from Feb. 19-25, and eight matches in a 40-day span from Jan. 18 to Feb. 14, including five preseason matches played in Las Vegas, Peru, Panama, Honduras and Tampa, Florida.
Messi’s upcoming schedule with Inter Miami, Argentina
After Inter Miami returns from Jamaica, they will have a rematch Sunday against Atlanta United — the club that eliminated them in upset fashion from the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs last season. It will be Inter Miami’s last match before the FIFA international window opens for World Cup qualifiers.
Messi is expected to join the Argentine national team for two matches: Argentina visits Uruguay on March 21, then Argentina hosts Brazil on March 25.
Inter Miami’s last match of the month will be on March 29 at home against the Philadelphia Union.
Who will Inter Miami or Cavalier FC face in next round of Champions Cup?
The winner of the Inter Miami-Cavalier FC matchup will meet LAFC in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup. The quarterfinal series will begin in early April.
