A few hours before the Inter Miami vs Atlanta United match
It was revealed that Lionel Messi will not be present for these vital 90 minutes at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Georgia, United States.
SEE ALSO: Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United LIVE: lineups, time, and where to watch MLS
According to international media reports, the 'Pulga' did not travel to the venue of the match for this evening's MLS match. The Argentine returned in perfect condition after the double Qualifier match, so thousands of fans were excited to see him this weekend.
However, despite not having any muscle discomfort or physical issues that would prevent him from playing the full 90 minutes, it was decided to give him some rest and not force him for the upcoming matches in the season.
This decision was hinted at in Gerardo Martino's latest statements, where he did not guarantee Lionel Messi's presence 100% against Atlanta United in Georgia.
"He is fine, but we will wait to make a final decision. We will be very careful because we have a number of important matches in the near future," said 'Tata' Martino at the time.
Inter Miami vs Atlanta United: possible lineups
- Inter Miami: Drake Callender; DeAndre Yedlin, Kamal Miller, Serhi Kryvtsov, Tomás Avilés, and Jordi Alba; Sergio Busquets, Benjamín Cremaschi, Facundo Farías; Diego Gómez and Leonardo Campana.
- Atlanta United: Brad Guzan; Brook Lennon, Miles Robinson, Luis Abram, Caleb Wiley; Santiago Sosa, Amar Sejdic; Saba Lobjanidze, Tyler Wolff, Thiago Almada; Giorgos Giakoumakis.