FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba returned to Inter Miami practice on Tuesday, Aug. 26, but it’s unclear whether they will in the Leagues Cup semifinal match against Orlando City on Wednesday.
Messi has been dealing with a nagging right hamstring injury for the past month. The Argentine World Cup champion has missed four games due to the injury, which he appeared to reaggravate during a premature return in an Aug. 16 match against the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Alba suffered a knock on right knee during Inter Miami’s 2-1 win against Liga MX side Tigres UANL in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals on Aug. 20, and did not play in the second half.
Their returns to action are imperative for Inter Miami with head coach Javier Mascherano is suspended for the semifinal match due to a red card he received in the quarterfinal.
Watch Leagues Cup matches on MLS Season Pass
Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Morales, speaking in place of Mascherano on Tuesday, said Messi and Alba practiced for two straight days with the club. They will be evaluated later Tuesday, with decisions about their availability to be made closer to kickoff.
“We’ll see how they feel as the day goes on, and [Wednesday] we’ll make a decision about the final lineup for the match,” Morales said of Messi and Alba. “But luckily they trained and were able to complete the session, which is a positive thing.”
Messi’s health is a particular focal point: After the Leagues Cup semifinal Wednesday and the final or third-place match Sunday, Messi will rejoin the Argentine national team for a World Cup qualifying match against Venezuela in Buenos Aires on Sept. 4.
The match will be Messi’s last match in his home country for the foreseeable future, with no other matches scheduled before World Cup 2026. Messi has yet to declare he will play with the defending champions in the World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
What’s at stake in the Leagues Cup? A spot to play in either the final or the third-place match on Sunday, Aug. 31. Both finalists and the third-place winner will earn berths to the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup tournament – which determines entries into the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup. The Galaxy will host the Seattle Sounders in the other semifinal match on Wednesday at 10:45 p.m. ET.
The Leagues Cup has plenty of significance for Inter Miami – which won the tournament in 2023 shortly after Messi, Alba and Sergio Busquets arrived to the club. It was the first title in the MLS franchise’s history.
However, the opponent has had Inter Miami’s number this season. Inter Miami already has two losses to Orlando City – a 3-0 loss on May 18 (which Messi played in), and a 4-1 loss in Orlando on Aug. 10 (which Messi did not play).
Both clubs enter the match after disappointing results on Saturday, Aug. 23: Inter Miami settled for a 1-1 draw at D.C. United, while Orlando City lost 5-1 to Nashville SC.
“We’ve struggled this year, losing both games by a significant margin. And we know we have to do better,” Busquets said Tuesday, before the next Florida Derby matchup. “If we want to be in the final, we’re going to have to be better than we were in the last two classics. We can’t make it so easy for them.”
Is Messi playing tomorrow?
Messi could return to action, but his game status will be known when Inter Miami announces its starting lineup an hour before the match.
When is the Inter Miami vs. Orlando City Leagues Cup match?
The match is Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 8:30 p.m. inside Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
How to watch Inter Miami vs. Orlando City Leagues Cup match?
The match is available to live stream on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV, and Apple TV+ channel on Amazon Prime, Xfinity and DirecTV.
Messi upcoming schedule with Inter Miami and Argentina
Aug. 27: Inter Miami vs. Orlando City, 8:30 p.m. ET (Leagues Cup semifinal)
Aug. 31: Leagues Cup final OR third-place match
Sept. 4: Argentina vs. Venezuela (World Cup qualifying)
Sept. 9: Ecuador vs. Argentina (World Cup qualifying)
Sept. 13: Charlotte FC vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. (MLS regular season)