Messi Missing from Inter Miami Squad Facing Whitecaps on Saturday

Update: The Vancouver Whitecaps announced on Thursday afternoon that Lionel Messi will not be on the roster for Saturday’s game at BC Place. “While we haven’t received an official update on the availability of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Sergio Busquets for this weekend, we understand they will not make this trip. Unfortunately, we have no control over who plays for our opponent, and it was important for us to communicate to our fans as soon as possible,“ said Axel Schuster, Whitecaps FC CEO.

Earlier this season, Inter Miami CF were one of the most injured teams in Major League Soccer, with nine players sidelined including Lionel Messi nursing a hamstring. But times have changed. Now, not even BC Place’s artificial turf can scare off Messi, who will take the field this Saturday night against the Vancouver Whitecaps. While the Whitecaps started the season strong, they’ve been spinning their wheels of late with draws and losses. Last Saturday’s game in Seattle was salvaged by a Ryan Gauld goal off a penalty kick in the dying minutes. Gauld was named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for his game-saving performance. Meanwhile, Inter Miami is top of the table, leading the MLS pack with a Messi-powered attack that’s netted 36 goals. The Argentine superstar has scored 10 of those goals and 11 assists in just 10 appearances. With over 55,000 fans expected, Saturday’s clash at BC Place should be an iconic moment for local sports.