Will Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami debut be pushed back? When could it be?

Herons coach Gerardo Martino has cast doubt on whether the former Barcelona star will play against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup.

Diego GorostietaDiegsGorostietaRoddy ConsRoddyConsEstados UnidosUpdate: Jul 16th, 2023 04:44 EDT

ANDRES KUDACKIAFP

Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino’s reign as Inter Miami head coach began on Saturday but little changed for the Herons as they suffered a resounding 3-0 defeat at the hands of St. Louis City, who remain top of MLS’ Western Conference. His signing for the club now official, Lionel Messi is going to have his work cut out to lift his new team off the foot of the standings over in the east.

Inter Miami “wanted to win for Messi”

As well as sharing his views on the game post-match, Martino was inevitably asked about the former Barcelona superstar’s arrival, stressing that Inter wanted to win to build some momentum before Messi’s unveiling, which ultimately didn’t work out.

Sí, Muchachos📍 pic.twitter.com/8E3f9hb9VU

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) July 15, 2023

“We are happy that he has officially signed his contract and that he will be unveiled tomorrow. We wanted to win for him but we weren’t able to do it”, explained the ex-Mexico boss.

Martino casts doubt over Messi debut

Martino also spoke about his own excitement about being able to work with Messi in the Herons’ upcoming games, although he stressed that the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner won’t be rushed into action if he isn’t deemed ready, which suggests his debut for the club could be pushed back.

“We’re obviously excited that the best player in the world will play for our team, but we also need to show patience to ensure that he is physically fit and starts playing at the right time”, stated the Inter Miami coach.

BIENVENIDO 1️⃣0️⃣ pic.twitter.com/df1TJQQoYv

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) July 15, 2023

Cruz Azul pencilled in for ex-Barça star’s first appearance