Inter Miami CF head coach Javier Mascherano confirmed Lionel Messi is set to return from injury for the match against the LA Galaxy on Saturday night at Chase Stadium, becoming available for the team for the first time since Aug. 2.
Messi suffered a "minor" muscle injury in his right leg during the Leagues Cup game against Necaxa on Aug. 2, being forced off the field early in the first half. The team captain finally returned to training with the rest of the squad on Aug. 13, prepping for a return.
"Leo is okay. In fact, he has already trained with the team since Wednesday," Mascherano said. "You saw him on Wednesday. And well, apart from the fact that we have training today, we believe that if nothing strange happens, he will be called up for tomorrow's match."
Despite missing a couple training sessions due to visa-related travel, Mascherano confirmed Rodrigo De Paul will be on the roster for Inter Miami against the Galaxy.
The Herons will face the Galaxy in a Major League Soccer regular-season game before hosting Liga MX giants Tigres UANL for the Leagues Cup quarterfinal match on Aug. 20.
Mascherano will prepare with fewer players on the roster after the club recently announced midfielder Federico Redondo joined LaLiga team Elche and sources confirmed to ESPN that goalkeeper Drake Callender will soon be transferred to Charlotte FC.
Though the roster may appear to be thinned out, the head coach insists the team remains content while looking to sign a couple more players during this transfer window.
"The transfer market is still open, with just over a week left, and we'll be looking at options until the last day of the transfer window. Yes, it could be that the squad looks smaller in terms of numbers, but I think we're pretty balanced right now," Mascherano said.
"Perhaps we're missing a few positions, where we could add a particular player, but I think by the end of the season, in the three-plus months we have left, we'll be fine. We've recovered players who unfortunately weren't available for a long time. With them, the team looks much more balanced. Well, as I said, in the end, we'll see if there's any chance of adding a specific case, a specific position, but in my case, I'm happy with what I have."
Mascherano later emphasized the team is looking for defensive and offensive options, while ESPN sources link Cruz Azul's Gonzalo Piovi to the club.
"Right now, perhaps what we're looking at is the possibility of perhaps reinforcing the defensive aspect a little more, and we're also looking for something offensively, but I don't want to give too much away because these are negotiations that, in both cases, could also be complicated, and we don't know if, given the time available and the limitations we have, we'll be able to complete them," Mascherano said.
"[With Piovi] I know what you know. You know me, I don't like to talk about the players we don't have. I don't like to talk about players who aren't part of the squad, first out of respect for our squad and secondly out of respect for the other club and the player."
Inter Miami signed De Paul during the summer transfer window, reinforcing the star-studded roster.