New York soccer fans can breathe easy knowing that they should get a chance to see Lionel Messi play at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.

How long he plays is another story.

Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino told reporters Tuesday that Messi will be available for Wednesday’s game against Atlanta United and the showdown with NYCFC in The Bronx.

But his availability comes with a catch, with Martino adding that the club would be careful not to overexpose Messi on the field and risk any further injury for the star. 

Messi only just returned to the Inter Miami lineup over the weekend in a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Union after being sidelined since July 14 after he suffered a right ankle sprain in the Cop America final. 

“Leo is fine, he ended the game well. Tired, obviously,” Martino said about Messi, who played 105 minutes last Saturday, according to ESPN. “It’s the first 90 minutes in a long time, but it ended very well. He is going to travel to both games. He is available but there are three games this week with travel included, so we have to see it day by day.”

Saturday will mark the first time this season that Messi will have competed in an MLS game in the New York metropolitan area. 

Inter Miami did visit Red Bull Arena earlier this year, but the Argentinian was with the national team and did not play. 

NYCFC missed out on the chance to host Miami with Messi on their squad last year and will get their first chance to benefit from the added attention that comes with one of soccer’s greatest players taking the pitch at Yankee Stadium. 

As of Tuesday night, the cheapest ticket to see the afternoon match in The Bronx was $162 on secondary ticket market SeatGeek and $130 on Vivid Seats. 

Messi played one of his first games in the MLS last year in the tri-state area when Inter Miami faced the Red Bulls in August.

He didn’t enter the match until the 60th minute, scaring some of the record-setting 26,276 who purchased tickets for the match at Red Bull Arena.

Messi scored late in the game in what was a 2-0 win over the Red Bulls.

Well, that went about as bad as it possibly could go. Our Miami Dolphins looked hapless, except for perhaps Devon Achane, against the Buffalo Bills, and also lost our starting quarterback for who knows how long. So now it’s on to the team’s first road trip, which includes a flight to the furthest NFL city in the NFL from Miami against a reasonably solid Seattle Seahawks team. Seattle has won both games this season, but both victories were over questionable teams, the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots, defeating the two by a margin of only nine points.

With that, this evening’s Phinsider Question Of The Day is:

If you could steal any player from the Seattle Seahawks roster to place on the Miami Dolphins roster, which player would it be and why?

Please give us your answers and thoughts on the question of the day in the comments section below-

Has the Miami Heat’s disrespect or overlook by oddsmakers reached new heights?

Many teams were placed ahead of the Heat in favorites to win it all. The Heat odds at +5000 by some betting services. 

Whether the Heat are the No. 1 or the No. 8 seed, this is a team you don’t want to underestimate.

The 2023 team made one of the most impressive runs in the postseason since the 1999 New York Knicks. They became the second team to go to the Finals as the No. 8 seed. 

Where could they end up this season? Another play-in tournament appearance? Can they stay away from seeds 7-10?

Yes, there are questions about Jimmy Butler’s future this offseason, especially since he hasn’t received a contract extension. We are curious how guys like Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier will perform this season. Can Jaime Jaquez Jr elevate his game and be reliable?

All those guys, including Robinson, come into the new season motivated and determined. They’re accustomed to media and oddsmakers doubting them. 

At this point, they don’t care. They talk on the court, where it matters most. 

We don’t know if Butler remains with the team for the entire season. He could be moved during the trade deadline. In the business of sports, you can’t please everyone. The front office determines how to combine the right pieces and make the best of them. 

The Heat embrace adversity. It’s what brings this unit together and motivates them to dominate. If they’re healthy and in the playoffs, anything can happen. 

Miguel Mike Medina is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com

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