Question marks surround Lionel Messi's fitness ahead of Inter Miami's clash with Charlotte. Inter Miami come into their third match of the 2025 Major League Soccer season after comfortably defeating Cavalier 2–0 in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16.

Inter Miami CF head coach Javier Mascherano said he is optimistic Lionel Messi could make the roster for the match against Charlotte FC on Sunday night at Chase Stadium, though added he was unwilling to take unnecessary risks with the star player.

Inter Miami are gearing up to face Houston Dynamo on Matchday 2 of the MLS season. However, the biggest question surrounding the matchup is the availability of Lionel Messi. Amid speculation, Houston Dynamo addressed the situation on their social media.

Lionel Messi missed his second straight game for Inter Miami on Thursday, but he was present at Chase Stadium as the team took on Jamaican club Cavalier FC for their Concacaf Champions Cup group of 16 match.

"Leo is fine. He is OK. He will train normally like the rest of his teammates," Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said about Messi's fitness, according to the report.

Messi did not play in Inter Miami's last two matches against Houston Dynamo and Cavalier. In fact, he was not even in Javier Mascherano's squad for either game. Mascherano was always going to manage the minutes and workload of the 37-year-old superstar, but alarm bells are already sounding for Messi just two weeks into the Herons' season.

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami will host Cavalier of Jamaica in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16. In their initial games of 2025, Inter Miami achieved a key milestone by defeating Sporting Kansas City and securing their place in the Round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Inter Miami defender Jordi Alba has been controversially handed a fine for a late-game incident on Sunday at the Houston Dynamo, shortly before teammate Ian Fray was handed a post-game red