Will Lionel Messi Play for Inter Miami vs. LAFC: Concacaf Champions Cup Quarterfinals Second Leg | OneFootball

On the brink of elimination in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals, Inter Miami will hope to rely on Lionel Messi to lead the Herons to a comeback against LAFC.

Inter Miami underwhelmed in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals. The Herons only mustered three shots on target at BMO Stadium and were held goalless for the first time under Javier Mascherano. Even worse, LAFC's Nathan Ordaz found the back of the net in the 57th minute to give the hosts a 1–0 lead heading into the second leg at Chase Stadium.

Following the disappointing night in Los Angeles, the Herons returned to MLS action and only managed a 1–1 draw with Toronto FC. Inter Miami are now under massive pressure to bounce back from the two poor results to keep their Concacaf Champions Cup berth alive, and it all starts with Messi.

Messi's fitness concerns have dominated the last two months for Inter Miami, especially when he recently suffered a minor muscle injury that kept him from representing Argentina in March. Despite his missed time, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is still the Herons' leading goalscorer this season and he most recently became the club's all-time leader in goal contributions.

Here's the latest on Messi's status ahead of Inter Miami's clash with LAFC in Fort Lauderdale.

Will Lionel Messi Play for Inter Miami vs. LAFC: Concacaf Champions Cup Quarterfinals Second Leg

Yes, Messi will play in the second leg of Inter Miami's Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal tie against LAFC. The 37-year-old has featured in the Herons' last three matches and is expected to make it four appearances in a row come Wednesday's fixture.

Messi is fully back training with the team in preparation for their all-important fixture against LAFC. The only question remaining is whether the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner will start or feature off the bench.

Messi played 90 minutes in the first leg last Wednesday and then 90 minutes at the weekend against Toronto FC. Three matches in the span of a week is a high workload for the Argentine, especially when he is still relatively fresh off an injury.

Still, barring any issues in the lead up to the match, all signs point to Messi starting. With Inter Miami down 0–1 on aggregate, Mascherano cannot afford to leave his best player on the bench.