Lionel Messi’s Leagues Cup run is going so well that his MLS debut has been postponed.
Messi’s first foray into life with Inter Miami could not be going better, as the Argentine star has a remarkable seven goals in just four Leagues Cup games — all of which have been wins.
The 36-year-old’s latest salvo came in a brace against FC Dallas in the round of 16, with a late free kick tying the game at 4-4 before Inter Miami advanced on penalties.
Inter Miami has now reached the quarterfinal, which will be against Charlotte FC on Friday at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
The same two teams were scheduled to meet at the same location on August 20, in what was set to be Messi’s first MLS game. But due to both teams reaching the last eight of the Leagues Cup, that match has been postponed.
Per a league statement:
Major League Soccer (MLS) announced today that Inter Miami CF’s MLS match against Charlotte FC originally scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 20 at DRV PNK Stadium has been postponed to a later date to be announced.
As both Inter Miami CF and Charlotte FC have advanced to the 2023 Leagues Cup quarterfinals, one of the two clubs will be playing on Aug. 19 in either the Leagues Cup final or third place match.
Tickets originally purchased for the Aug. 20 MLS match will be honored for the new date in which the game will be played.
Messi will now likely make his U.S. Open Cup debut before his MLS debut, with Inter Miami set to face FC Cincinnati in a semifinal on August 23.
Inter Miami will then take on the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on August 26, putting Messi’s possible MLS debut in the country’s largest media market.
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