Messi messes up MLS Sunday Night Soccer show

MLS’s attempt to make Sunday Night Soccer a marquee event by showcasing Lionel Messi and Inter Miami has yet to deliver the results the league hoped for. So far, the only Sunday match in which the Argentine star has featured was against Atlanta United. For the rest, Messi has been a notable absentee from this newly spotlighted slot.

Now heading into Matchday 7, Inter Miami is set to host Toronto FC in another Sunday Night Soccer clash — but once again, Messi’s availability is uncertain, along with that of several other key players for the Herons.

Inter Miami’s top priority at the moment is the CONCACAF Champions Cup. After falling behind against LAFC, the team must mount a comeback to reach the semifinals — a stage they missed out on last year and one that has become a major goal for Messi and his teammates. As a result, head coach Javier Mascherano has suggested that he may rotate the squad this Sunday, casting further doubt on Messi’s participation.

Will Messi play against Toronto?

“We’re going to talk to him like we always do, just like we do with most of the players,” Mascherano said on Saturday. “I obviously have an idea, but it’s open for discussion. Even though Wednesday’s game is very important, we can’t ignore that Sunday’s performance will have an impact on that match. It hasn’t even been 48 hours since our last game, so it will depend on how things go in the coming hours, and we’ll make the decision on Sunday.”

If Messi doesn’t play this Sunday, it’ll be yet another blow to MLS’s strategy of building Sunday Night Soccer around its biggest star, marking another weekend without Messi in the spotlight.

There is hope for next weekend, though, when Inter Miami visits Gregg Berhalter’s Chicago Fire on Sunday, April 13 — potentially another chance for Messi to headline a prime-time fixture.

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After that, fans will have to wait until Sunday, May 18, for Inter Miami’s next scheduled Sunday Night Soccer appearance — a high-profile showdown against Florida rivals Orlando City in the latest edition of the ‘Clásico del Sol’.

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