Inter Miami confirmed starting XI against Monterrey in the CONCACAF Champions Cup

Here’s how the Herons will line up for the crucial game against their Liga MX opponents. Will Lionel Messi start?

Eduardo Burgos Rodríguezedu17burgosJoe Brennanj4brennanUpdate: Apr 3rd, 2024 19:18 EDT0

IRA L. BLACKAFP

Ahead of the game Tata Martino announced that he would not know until an hour before the match whether Lionel Messi would be able to play any minutes against Monterrey. The Inter Miami head coach was eager to give Messi every chance to recover but it looks like that effort has not been successful.

“We have to think that we are at the beginning of April and for us all this has just begun and what we must not do is put the physical condition of our players at risk,” said ‘Tata’ in the press conference prior to Wednesday’s match. Although the forward returned to training yesterday with the rest of his teammates he is not yet match fit and Lionel Messi not been included in the matchday squad for the quarter-final first leg. Here’s how the Herons line up…

Champions Cup starting XI 💪#MIAvMTY #VamosMiami pic.twitter.com/o6yTbMGDXR

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) April 3, 2024

Suárez set to lead the line for Miami

With Messi absent Luis Suárez will be the main main for The Herons at Chase Stadium. The Uruguayan has been on a roll since the start of the season and has already scored seven goals in nine games. Without Messi in the team the goal-scoring burden will fall to Luis Suárez, the veteran forward who scored in both Round One games against Nashville.

The bad news for ‘Tata’ is the defensive fragility his team has shown in recent matches, having conceded nine goals in four games. Nicolas Freire is fit enough to return from injury, joining Weigandt, Avilés and Jordi Alba in the backline.