Inter Miami will take on Monterrey in a crucial Leagues Cup clash at Nu Stadium today. Guillermo Hoyos’ side is coming off a 4-2 win over San Jose in the previous round. Meanwhile, Monterrey enters the game under pressure after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Orlando City in its opening match.
Will Messi play tonight?
Lionel Messi will not feature for Inter Miami against Monterrey following the passing of his father.
Michelle Kaufman, sportswriter for the Miami Herald, reported on X that Messi will travel to Rosario in the coming hours to reunite with his family, as cited by Bola Vip.
Inter Miami will face Monterrey without its captain and main attacking player. The Herons will also be without veteran striker Luis Suarez, who is serving a long suspension for misconduct during last season’s Leagues Cup. This means the team will be missing two key attackers, putting more pressure on players such as midfielders Casemiro and Rodrigo De Paul.
The Herons had a strong start to the competition, beating Atletico San Luis 4-2 at home. Although the lineup has not been officially confirmed, Guillermo Hoyos is expected to start with Rocco Rios Novo; Ian Fray, Fricio Caicedo, Micael, Noah Allen; Yannick Bright, Casemiro, Rodrigo de Paul; Lovens Delinois, Daniel Pinter and Telasco Segovia, as per Athlon Sports.
Separately, forward German Berterame entered the concussion protocol during a match against CF Montreal. Hoyos could not confirm whether he would be available for the game. He said, “I would be lying if I said yes. Berterame is recovering and doing very well… He took a very hard hit and all of us who were there were very scared that it was worse. So, we are just thankful to have him around,” according to Bola VIP.
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What happened to Lionel Messi’s father, Jorge Messi?
Lionel Messi’s father and agent, Jorge, has died aged 68 at a medical clinic in the Argentinian city of Rosario after a long illness, the family have announced, as per The Guardian. Jorge Messi spent his final months alternating between a medical center in Rosario and his home, accompanied by his wife, Celia, and his children Rodrigo, Matias and Maria Sol.
Newell’s Old Boys announced the death in a social media post that said he had undergone treatment in recent months for an unspecified illness. The post described him as “the pillar and the person who, with vision, rigour and affection, supported the career of the best player of all time, alongside his wife, Celia Cuccittini,”
Since Messi’s arrival, Inter Miami have won 8 of their 9 Leagues Cup matches against Liga MX clubs. Inter Miami take on Monterrey on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Nu Stadium in Miami, with kickoff at 8:00pm ET.
