FC Cincinnati v Inter Miami CF
Alba and Messi were selected to participate in next week's match, where the MLS All-Stars take on the Liga MX All-Stars
WHAT HAPPENED?
Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano said he prefers that Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba both not participate in the 2025 MLS All-Star Game, claiming his players should be resting during the middle of their season.
The duo are the Herons' two representatives at this summer's All-Star Game on July 23 in Austin, when they take on the LIGA MX All-Stars. Alba will also be participating in the Skills Challenge event the day prior, while Messi will not be.
"The players are called up, I would like them to be able to rest but that is not my decision," Mascherano said. "I know how important the All Star [Game] is, and as far as I know there is no decision from the club, everything is as normal."
FC Cincinnati v Inter Miami CF
THE BIGGER PICTURE
According to ESPN, both Messi and Alba are expected to travel for the MLS All-Star game early next week.
Inter Miami, meanwhile, are playing their third match in seven days on Saturday evening when they travel to Sports Illustrated Stadium to take on the New York Red Bulls. The match follows a 3-0 loss midweek to FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium in Ohio.
The Herons have played four matches since returning from the Club World Cup, where they were eliminated in the Round of 16 by PSG. Manager Javier Mascherano has now voiced concerns over the team’s demanding schedule, especially following an injury to goalkeeper Oscar Ustari on Wednesday. He suggested he might rest a few players in Saturday’s match in Harrison, N.J.
"Today, we'll talk to some of the players about how they're feeling. Obviously, we’ll rotate in some positions. We want to wait until tomorrow to see how a few of the guys are recovering - it's important to wait. I don’t like rotating the team too much; there won’t be six or seven changes, because that weakens the team and doesn’t do any favors to the players coming in, since they don’t have full match rhythm," he explained.
Regarding Messi’s involvement in the match - given his heavy workload recently - Mascherano said it will depend entirely on the Argentine star’s physical condition.
"We’ll talk to Leo. If he’s feeling good, he will most likely start," he said. "Regarding injuries, I'm not a specialist. It clearly worries me because, in the end, the team has been suffering from a lot of muscle injuries all season. The intensity of the games we've played, especially in the last month and a half, has been very, very high. But, well, we also clearly have to find some explanation, improve, and try to avoid it because obviously the team is gradually deteriorating with injuries."
Mascherano said he does not yet know the extent of Ustari's injury.
"Ustari suffered an injury, but I do not know the extent of the timeline. He will not play tomorrow, the goalkeeper will be Rocco [Rios Novo]," he said.
DID YOU KNOW?
Inter Miami begins its Leagues Cup journey on July 30 against Atlas. They'll be looking to become the first multi-time champion of the competition after winning it in 2023.
Inter Miami CF v Nashville SC
WHAT NEXT FOR MIAMI?
The Herons clash with RBNY Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. ET at Sports Illustrated Stadium.
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