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Lionel Messi is expected to start when Inter Miami host fellow Floridian side Orlando City in the Major League Soccer (MLS) on Saturday, March 3. The Herons will want to build on their unbeaten start to the new season and extend it to three games.
Inter Miami come into the game on the back of a 1-1 draw against LA Galaxy last weekend. Messi scored his first goal of the new season on that occasion when he scored an injury-time equalizer to salvage a point.
Messi has been vital for Gerardo Martino's side in the first two games of the 2024 MLS season. The manager, however, has raised doubts surrounding his star attacker's fatigue and his long-term fitness following the first two games. He has also talked to Messi about managing his workload.
Martino was quoted as saying (via Miami Herald) in the pre-match press conference:
“I’ve been discussing some things with him [about his workload] and what concerns me the most is the day-to-day and how he is recovering game by game. I feel that in these first two matches, we have relied on him too much, which has caused him significant fatigue in both games.”
Despite raising fitness concerns, Martino didn't mention anything about resting Messi against Orlando City despite a congested schedule coming up. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is expected to start on Saturday.
Lionel Messi could once be partnered alongside Luis Suarez and Robert Taylor up front to form a three-man attack. Although the trio have started together in Inter Miami's first two matches of the season, Martino does have the likes of Leonardo Campana at his disposal should he need to rotate players.
Following the first two games, Inter Miami are top of the Western Conference in the MLS with four points. However, they are the only side in the conference to have played two games this season.
Orlando City, on the other hand, played out a 0-0 draw against FC Montreal in their opening game of the new season last weekend.
How did Lionel Messi play for Inter Miami against Orlando City last season?
Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami on a free transfer back in the summer of 2023 and is playing in his first full season in the United States.
Despite barely playing half of the 2023 season, Messi did face Orlando City once during Inter Miami's triumphant Leagues Cup campaign back in August.
Inter Miami and Messi came up against Orlando City in the first knockout round of the 2023 Leagues Cup and won 3-1. The Barcelona legend was instrumental in his side's victory as he scored a brace on that occasion.
Messi had a great outing against Orlando City, with the Argentine ace having a total of three shots on target and even hit the woodwork once. He ended the game with a pass completion rate of 81 percent and also provided one key pass.
Lionel Messi did not lose possession on a single occasion and won 11 out of the 18 ground duels he contested.
