The football world has been asking questions regarding what has happened to star Lionel Messi after he missed consecutive games for Inter Miami. Lionel Messi who joined Inter Miami after his stint at Paris Saint Germain and has continued to impress the world with his football talents in the United States. Lionel Messi recently missed Inter Miami’s match against Houston Dynamo and was again today not playing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup round of 16 match against Cavalier FC. 

According to coach Javier Mascherano, Lionel Messi is not injured and he is available to be picked like all the other players on the roster. 

Inter Miami even without the presence of Lionel Messi still got the result to go their way as former Barcelona striker Luis Suarez stepped up to get Inter Miami the win. Inter Miami took on Cavalier FC in the first leg of their CONCACAF round of 16 match and came out with a 2-0 win as they head into the second leg next week.

Inter Miami got the first goal of the match in the second half when Tadeo Allende opened the scoring in the 61st minute. Then it was the former Barcelona and Liverpool man who put the final nail in the coffin on Cavalier FC as Luis Suarez got his name on the scoresheets in the 83rd minute to get Inter Miami the win. 

Cavalier FC had found the back of the net in the first half thanks to striker Shaquille Stein but the goal was overturned due to being offside after VAR intervened. 

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano opened up on Lionel Messi’s absence from the team and how when Messi is not playing it is felt within the team on the pitch. He further stated that any team in the world which will have Lionel Messi playing for it will feel his absence when he is not playing. 

“For us, we feel it when we don’t have Leo. I think any team in the world that doesn’t have Leo will feel that,” said Javier Mascherano. 

The second leg between Inter Miami and Cavalier FC will be on March 13 in Kingston, Jamaica.