Inter Miami Confirms Messi’s Presence for Champions Cup

Wednesday brought fantastic news for followers of Inter Miami and Lionel Messi in Jamaica. Coach Javier Mascherano reports that the Argentine icon and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who missed the past three games with muscle tiredness, will fly to the Caribbean island for Thursday’s Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 encounter against Cavalier FC. Following the home match last Thursday, Inter Miami had a 2-0 buffer into the two-leg series against Cavalier.

On overall score, the winner moves to the quarterfinals against Los Angeles FC. The game was relocated from Cavalier’s 3,000-seat home stadium to the 30,000-seat National Stadium since Thursday’s game is such a major event in Jamaica. Since it hosted Brazilian icon Pelé and Santos in a 1971 game seen by a sell-off audience in the same building, it is the most well-publicized game the club hosts.

Before the first leg, Cavalier coach Rudolph Speid said, “I believe it will motivate a generation of Jamaican athletes. Everyone will be watching [the game in Fort Lauderdale] on TV; and in the return leg, where we hope for a packed stadium and everyone chatting about the game. That inspiration is far more for the nation than only for our team.

Several adolescents from the youth national team and other young players aiming for attention are on the Cavalier roster. They limited Miami to a 0-0 stalemate at halftime of last Thursday’s encounter in Fort Lauderdale, hence they did not seem scared.