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Lionel Messi should feature when Inter Miami travel to Texas to face FC Dallas in a pre-season friendly on Monday, January 22. This will be the Herons' second pre-season game ahead of the 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) season.
Inter Miami started their preparations for the new season with a friendly game against El Salvador on Friday, January 19. The game ended 0-0, with Messi only playing the first half before being replaced by Facundo Farias at half-time.
The Florida-based side announced their squad traveling to face FC Dallas on Monday, which includes Lionel Messi. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner should, therefore, start as he continues to build his fitness ahead of the new season.
It is, however, highly unlikely that Messi will play for the full 90 minutes as the pre-season has just commenced. Manager Gerardo Martino will not want to risk his superstar forward ahead of the new season, with the Herons set to play in six more pre-season games.
The game against El Salvador saw both Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez start together for the first time since their Barcelona days. The pair should continue to form a strike partnership against FC Dallas on Monday.
Other attackers at Martino's disposal include Leonardo Campana, Robert Taylor and the aforementioned Farias.
How did Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi do against FC Dallas last season?
Lionel Messi has had a short career in the United States following his free transfer back in the summer of 2023. The Argentina skipper, however, has faced FC Dallas once despite his limited game-time.
Messi faced FC Dallas in the Round of 16 of the 2023 Leagues Cup back in July 2023. The superstar forward was the differentiating factor as Inter Miami recorded a win following a penalty shootout.
Lionel Messi played the full 90 minutes and scored a brace on that occasion as the game ended 4-4. He opened the scoring after just six minutes before FC Dallas rushed to a 3-1 lead at the hour mark.
Inter Miami brought it back to 3-2 with a goal from Benja Cremaschi only for the opponents to score three minutes later.
The Herons, however, continued to push in the dying moments of the game. Messi's free-kick saw FC Dallas' Marco Farfan net into his own net before the Argentina superstar netted an 85th-minute equalizer from yet another free-kick.
Messi went on to score from the spot in the penalty shootout as Inter Miami clinched the shoot-out 5-3. Gerardo Martino's side would go on to win the Leagues Cup - their first major trophy in their short history.
