With the upcoming Sporting Kansas City vs. Inter Miami CF match on April 13, there is much uncertainty that Lionel Messi will be a starter or a backup on the bench for that game. When the MLS schedule came out, this was the most anticipated match of the season. “Coming into market, I think the reality for us is we want as many people from Kansas City as possible to go to this game.” President and CEO of Sporting Kansas City Jake Reid after the Inter Miami v Sporting match was announced to be at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. “No. It is what it is” Reid said on the guarantee that Lionel will play. “I think it’s a time of the year where rest won’t be a factor.”
This game is “on pace to be a sellout at Arrowhead, which would be the largest crowd in the state of Missouri for soccer.” Jake Reid said during media day back at the end of February prior to the home opener against the Philadelphia Union.
Messi has not played an MLS match since matchday 2 on March 2nd in a 5-0 blowout win over Orlando City with Messi scoring 2 goals in 5 minutes. The last match Lionel played in was on March 13 in the Concacaf Champions Cup, Round of 16 match against Nashville SC with a 3-1 win and an injured Lionel Messi. Lionel was a participant in Tuesday’s Inter Miami training. Messi was moving well as a right hamstring injury has kept him off the field since early/mid-March.
Do I expect Messi to get playing time on April 13? Yes, but it all depends on the next two matches upcoming for Inter Miami. With an MLS regular season match this Saturday against the Colorado Rapids and a Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal against Monterrey, we will have to see what happens in those next games before Inter Miami makes the trip to Kansas City to faceoff against a momentum driven SKC team coming off a 3-1 win over Toronto FC. I for sure expect Messi to be in the building during this game but not 100% certain he will be suited up and on the field playing.
Catch this highly-anticipated match on MLS Season Pass or live at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. All the action starts at 7:30p (7:40p KO).
Cover: Megan Briggs/Getty Images
