Overview

• Lionel Messi will travel to Montreal and be available for Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. EDT match at Stade Saputo after receiving two days of rest following the Club World Cup exit.
• Saturday’s fixture kicks off a stretch of seven games in 25 days, including four matches on the road and the Leagues Cup opener on July 30.
• Mascherano signaled a rotation strategy to manage minutes after the 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain and the six-day break.
• Inter Miami sits seventh in the Eastern Conference with 29 points from 16 matches; CF Montréal occupies last place with 14 points and a –20 goal differential.
• Ongoing negotiations aim to extend Messi’s contract beyond the 2025 season as Inter Miami prepares for Miami Freedom Park’s 2026 debut.