Inter Miami have big ambitions heading into this season. After their last campaign did not net them much success in terms of big trophies, they are looking to make even bigger waves. Lionel Messi is at the forefront of it all. Whether it is through their MLS run or in Copa America, his veteran presence along with the innate talent he brings into the game will be needed. However, there were concerns after he missed their fixture against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Does this also mean that he'll also be slated to miss time in their Atlanta United clash?

Lionel Messi's availability

May 18, 2024; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi (10) and D.C. United defender Garrison Tubbs (16) battle for the ball in the second half at Chase Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
© Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Well, not really. Lionel Messi is slated for action when Inter Miami faces Atlanta United for their MLS fixture, per Safid Deen of USA Today. However, it is still a big a question whether or not he will also play during their St. Louis City SC clash.

Lionel Messi is experiencing two types of physical pain throughout Inter Miami's MLS bid so far. A hamstring and knee injury has been hurting his ability to play every game possible. He has already been seen grimacing in pain during open training sessions. This could point to very bad signs in case fatigue hits him throughout their MLS and Copa America slate. Inter Miami has already publicly said that they are not going to risk the long-term health of their star.

So, the short-term wins might not be the focus. This is why this Atlanta United game could see him in limited minutes. Furthermore, playing back-to-back games when they meet St. Louis City SC may not be the brightest idea. After all, the Herons are already atop the MLS' Eastern Conference. The matchup against an 11th-ranked Western Conference squad with just 16 points should not be that big of a deal. Most especially for Inter Miami who have 34 points.

Inter Miami's doing alright

There is no need to rush Messi in these matchups anyway. Inter Miami have found ways to win without the Argentine king of football. Just recently, they molly-whopped the Vancouver Whitecaps. Jordi Alba was doing well in facilitating the offense from the middle of the pitch. Then, he just needed to make the right passes to notch goals for the Herons.

Alba made the early pass to Robert Taylor in the 38th minute and scored. They did not need many touches in this game to win at all too. In fact, Inter Miami even lost the time of possession battle because the Whitecaps had the ball 51% of the time in this fixture. Their opponents even got the opportunity to launch 16 shots but only two of them were on target. The Herons' defense has also been doing well in holding the fort down.

Later on, it was still Alba and Taylor making the plays. This time the striker found Leonardo Campana in the 54th minute to score a nice shot to put Inter Miami up two to nothing. The offense can only be described as insanely efficient with no need to dominate. They would have retained a clean sheet but a 72nd-minute penalty from Ryan Gauld found the back of the net to make the fixture closer.

Without Messi, this squad is different. But, they don't quite need him as much during these times of the season and should prioritize getting back to 100%.