New Delhi: Lionel Messi is all set to get another preseason tour with Inter Miami, with a five-match tour that will have the defending MLS Supporters’ Shield play in four different countries before the 2025 season resumes. On Friday, it was announced that there were three matches in South America and Central America. The new matches added includes a game against Peruvian champions Club Universitario de Deportes in Lima on January 29th.
The Heron will from there go to Panama City and face Sporting San Miguelito on February 2nd and before their trip to San Pedro Sula, where they will face Club Deportivo Olimpia. Both the first and last games were known from much before as they start their tour with a game against Mexican power Club America in Las Vegas on January 18th. They will finish their preseason against MLS rivals Orlando City in Tampa, Florida on February 14th.
The dream takes flight ✈️🌎 The Americas Preseason Tour kicks off soon.🩷🖤
Read more here: https://t.co/jqbqdArgIg pic.twitter.com/uJmzqKihBM
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) January 10, 2025
Inter Miami president of football operations Raul Sanllehi has noted that the five games against both “domestic and international opponents” across the two continents to prepare the club for a long 2025 season. Sanllehi noted that these games will help Inter Miami will help them get in shape for numerous tournaments including FIFA Club World Cup, League Cups, CONCACAF Champions Cup and MLS that the team will take part in.
Inter Miami’s long season
Along with their 34 MLS matches in the season, five preseason games, and the three cup tournaments, Inter Miami could play more than 50 games in the season, and the number of games could increase. This is without considering the international games that Messi and Co will play in the year.
Still, the preseason tournament is less ambitious than last year’s fixture that Inter Miami had planned. Their games included travelling to Dallas, El Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Hong Kong. The biggest anticipation for the tournament was to see a Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo contest which didn’t go through after the Portuguese international was sidelined due to injury.
There was some backlash from fans in Asia after Messi missed one game and played very limited minutes in the other game. There were some refunds as well in order to win over the angered fans with many having spent in excess of $600 to witness Messi. Inter Miami’s training camp resumes with physicals on Saturday. Their first practice under the newly appointed coach Javier Mascherano will resume on Monday.
Inter Miami announced their preseason tour across four countries and Lionel Messi and Co will now play in excess of 50 games in the upcoming season across various tournament. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
