Javier Mascherano has not played his captain in any of the past three games and recently explained his thinking. Incredibly, we’re now a few weeks into
Lionel Messi’s third season in MLS . After lifting silverware in the first year and clinching the Supporters' Shield title in the second, the
MLS Cup is the stated goal for 2025. Messi’s on-field performances have been outstanding throughout his time in Miami but there is still some concern about his impact. He missed the tail end of the 2023 season due to a series of injuries and he
played less than half of Miami’s total minutes in 2024. This year, in which he will turn 38, there is even greater reason to wonder about Messi’s durability. We have seen signs of it already, just a few weeks into the 2025 season. Messi has not been flagged with any specific injury but has
failed to feature in any of Inter Miami’s last three games. This is the
final guaranteed year of Messi’s historic deal with Inter Miami and there is a difficult balancing act for the team to manage. How can they make the most of Messi, while ensuring that he is at 100% for those crucial postseason moments?
Javier Mascherano explains bold Messi plan
The decision to rest Messi for both CONCACAF Champions Cup games against
Sporting Kansas City and
Cavalier FC was unexpected but the 37-year-old may have been glad to get a midweek rest. However the decision to keep Messi on the bench throughout Sunday’s MLS fixture against
Charlotte FC was a major surprise. The Argentine was named in the matchday squad but remained on the bench during a hard-fought 1-0 victory for Miami. Late in the first half Miami goalkeeper
Oscar Ustari was dismissed , leaving the Herons to play with ten men for the entirety of the second half. Speaking after the game head coach Javier Mascherano revealed that the red card had convinced him that Messi was not the best option for a ten-man Miami.
Mascherano explained : “The reality is that, in Leo’s case, we considered giving him minutes in the game,
but given that the game was played with one less player, and taking into account how long he’s been out , we decided it was better to preserve him. We didn’t want to risk him.” The question of Messi’s availability is going to be a ongoing issue for Miami throughout 2025. He’s a year older and the team’s schedule has got a little busier with the introduction of the midseason
FIFA Club World Cup this June. Mascherano will be hoping that a more conservative approach early in the season will ensure that Messi is at his best in the all-important playoff games. However he needs to ensure that a Messi-less Miami is still good enough to get there in the first place.
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