Javier Mascherano reveals measures to manage Inter Miami star Lionel Messi's workload

The Argentine scored in Inter Miami’s win against the Philadelphia Union.

Since Lionel Messi’s workload is meticulously controlled, he may play two games in a row. Inter Miami’s strategy for him has been made public by head coach Javier Mascherano.

In the Herons’ 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner came off the bench. Within two minutes of his arrival, he found the goal, assisting Javier Mascherano’s team in gaining three more MLS points and preserving their undefeated start to the 2025 season.

Messi had not played any minutes since March 16, when he was forced to leave the most recent Argentina squad due to physical issues. Inter Miami are still hesitant to put too much pressure on their lucky captain, which raises concerns about whether further rest is planned.

However, Mascherano hinted that Messi would participate in Wednesday’s CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal matchup with LAFC. He informed reporters:

“The plan is for him to recuperate and travel to Los Angeles. Today, the time that he played, he played because he was good. We didn’t risk him. He wasn’t for the full 90, but it did him well to play the 45 minutes including added time and if nothing weird happens, the plan is for him to travel.”

After handing Messi a little over 30 minutes against Philadelphia, the manager of Inter Miami continued, saying:

“We wanted Leo to have minutes. The idea was to have him play for 30-35 minutes, with the added time he played more but he feels good. We didn’t want to risk him by starting him because we thought we’d run a risk in doing that. Luckily he finished well, and that makes us very happy.”

Messi won MVP honours and helped Inter Miami win a historic Supporters’ Shield last season. This season, the team hopes to win the MLS Cup, and because of his importance to the cause, no changes will be made regarding his long-term fitness.

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