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Welcome back to Nashville, Lionel Messi.
Messi and Inter Miami return to Geodis Park on March 11 (6:30 p.m. CT, FS2) for the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup round of 16 series against Nashville SC. The second leg is set for March 18 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the winner on aggregate goals will advance to the quarterfinals.
It will be the first time Messi has played in Nashville since Nov. 1, 2025, which was Game 2 of the first round of the MLS playoffs. Though Nashville won 2-1 for its first-ever victory over the Argentine superstar, Inter Miami ultimately took Game 3 and the series at home 4-0 behind two goals from Messi.
Messi appears all but certain to play against Nashville, as he has played a full 90 minutes in each of Inter Miami's first three MLS games. He injured his hamstring during a preseason match against Barcelona SC on Feb. 7, but recovered quickly enough for Miami's season opener against D.C. United two weeks later.
While Inter Miami occasionally has been conservative with its management of the 38-year-old Messi, he regularly has been available for important competitions such as the Champions Cup. He played every minute of the Herons' run to the MLS Cup during last season's playoffs.
MORE: It's Nashville SC vs Inter Miami again, is there Lionel Messi fatigue?
Messi has torched Nashville to the tune of 15 goals and four assists in 10 matches. He has scored in all but one of those games, and had a hat trick in a 5-2 win at Geodis on Oct. 18, 2025. Inter Miami is 7-1-2 against Nashville with Messi in the lineup.
Messi has scored three goals in Inter Miami's first three games, putting him one goal away from a milestone 900th career goal for club and country. Only Cristiano Ronaldo (965) has scored more goals as a professional.
Nashville and Inter Miami have a lengthy history since both teams entered MLS as expansion clubs in 2020. They met in the wild-card round of that season's playoffs, with Nashville winning 3-0 at Nissan Stadium.
Miami beat Nashville in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup round of 16, two months before Messi signed with the club. He won his first trophy on American soil as Miami outlasted Nashville on penalty kicks to win the Leagues Cup that same season.
Inter Miami beat Nashville 5-3 on aggregate in the 2024 Champions Cup round of 16. Its playoff victory last season marked the fourth knockout competition in three years in which it eliminated Nashville.
The all-time series stands at four wins for Nashville, 10 wins for Miami and four ties.
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at [email protected] and on X/Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Lionel Messi status for Inter Miami vs Nashville SC in CONCACAF Champions Cup
Continue reading...
Messi and Inter Miami return to Geodis Park on March 11 (6:30 p.m. CT, FS2) for the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup round of 16 series against Nashville SC. The second leg is set for March 18 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the winner on aggregate goals will advance to the quarterfinals.
It will be the first time Messi has played in Nashville since Nov. 1, 2025, which was Game 2 of the first round of the MLS playoffs. Though Nashville won 2-1 for its first-ever victory over the Argentine superstar, Inter Miami ultimately took Game 3 and the series at home 4-0 behind two goals from Messi.
Is Lionel Messi playing for Inter Miami vs Nashville SC?
Messi appears all but certain to play against Nashville, as he has played a full 90 minutes in each of Inter Miami's first three MLS games. He injured his hamstring during a preseason match against Barcelona SC on Feb. 7, but recovered quickly enough for Miami's season opener against D.C. United two weeks later.
While Inter Miami occasionally has been conservative with its management of the 38-year-old Messi, he regularly has been available for important competitions such as the Champions Cup. He played every minute of the Herons' run to the MLS Cup during last season's playoffs.
MORE: It's Nashville SC vs Inter Miami again, is there Lionel Messi fatigue?
Lionel Messi stats vs Nashville SC
Messi has torched Nashville to the tune of 15 goals and four assists in 10 matches. He has scored in all but one of those games, and had a hat trick in a 5-2 win at Geodis on Oct. 18, 2025. Inter Miami is 7-1-2 against Nashville with Messi in the lineup.
Messi has scored three goals in Inter Miami's first three games, putting him one goal away from a milestone 900th career goal for club and country. Only Cristiano Ronaldo (965) has scored more goals as a professional.
Nashville SC vs Inter Miami history
Nashville and Inter Miami have a lengthy history since both teams entered MLS as expansion clubs in 2020. They met in the wild-card round of that season's playoffs, with Nashville winning 3-0 at Nissan Stadium.
Miami beat Nashville in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup round of 16, two months before Messi signed with the club. He won his first trophy on American soil as Miami outlasted Nashville on penalty kicks to win the Leagues Cup that same season.
Inter Miami beat Nashville 5-3 on aggregate in the 2024 Champions Cup round of 16. Its playoff victory last season marked the fourth knockout competition in three years in which it eliminated Nashville.
The all-time series stands at four wins for Nashville, 10 wins for Miami and four ties.
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at [email protected] and on X/Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Lionel Messi status for Inter Miami vs Nashville SC in CONCACAF Champions Cup
Continue reading...
