14 February 2024 , 19:19
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Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi is set to feature from the start in an emotional reunion with boyhood club Newell's Old Boys as he looks to put a forgettable pre-season behind him.
Following Miami's gruelling three-week escapade around the globe, the Argentine hero is now set to come up against the club where it all started for him. This comes after an eventful 23,000-mile trip for the Herons' staff and players, who have finally touched back down in Florida for this exhibition match.
Previous to this, their pre-season tour, which took them to Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Japan, was marred by poor results and controversy. However, this spectacle offers Vice City a chance to admonish the woes of the last month, with talisman Messi having now been declared fit to play.
With legendary Argentinian outfit Newell's set to face off against Miami at DRV PNK Stadium, Herons head coach Tata Martino confirmed that his captain will start the game. In a welcome boost for the club on the eve of the MLS campaign, he said: "Leo (Messi) is fine and will start. He's a starter."
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Undoubtedly, the 36-year-old will be eager to make the most of this rare meeting against the team he represented as a youngster before his move to Barcelona in 2000. Moreover, the game represents a reunion for Martino too, who played for their next opponents across three spells, prior a spell as manager between 2012 and 2013.
World Cup winner Messi's fitness has come under the microscope in recent times, especially in the wake of his no show in Hong Kong which turned into an international incident. After the veteran forward was ruled out of playing in a friendly game in the Far East, the city state's government even issued a statement expressing their displeasure.
A capacity crowd at Hong Kong's national stadium infamously jeered Herons co-owner David Beckham as he gave a speech prior to the game in question. Amid boos and cries of 'refund' from spectators, Messi could only watch on from the sidelines as he nursed some swelling in his adductor muscle.
Lionel Messi has been sidelined through injury during parts of Inter Miami's pre-season preparations (Getty Images)Reflecting on the ugly episode, the eight-time Ballon d'Or holder expressed his 'disappointment', as he said: "In Hong Kong, we had an open-door training session and I went out because there was such a big crowd there and there was a clinic with the kids, and I wanted to be there and participate."
Diplomatically, Messi added: "But the truth is that the discomfort was still there and it was very difficult for me to play. I can understand that people were looking forward to it and I hope that there will be another opportunity for me to play in Hong Kong."
Following on from this, the forward was able to play against the Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe in Tokyo, where he featured during a defeat on penalties after a 0-0 draw. The legendary star was able to manage half an hour in that outing, as he continued his recovery from injury.