As Austin FC heads to Kansas City, Wolff, Driussi recognize Lionel Messi’s MLS impact

Though it may not directly be affected by it for some time, Austin FC — which heads on the road to face Sporting Kansas City on Saturday — is certainly not immune to the news that rocked the soccer world this week.

Lionel Messi, whom El Tree coach Josh Wolff called the best player in the history of the sport, announced he will join MLS side Inter Miami once he’s released from his Paris Saint-German contract June 30. Ironically, Austin FC plays at Miami July 1, though there’s no chance Messi will be on this side of the Atlantic at that point.

Still, Wolff noted it’s a major coup for the MLS to land Messi, who turned down a reported three-year deal worth around $1.5 billion to play in the Saudi Arabian league.

“Along with everyone else, I’m pretty impressed and excited to have such an influential figure in the game join our league,” Wolff said. “He’s just removed from winning the World Cup … and he’ll elevate the platform, visibility and viability of the league. There will be so much impact he’ll bring in the short term, but also for the long term it’s a tremendous acquisition. All fans of all sports are excited to see him play there.”

El Tree captain Sebastián Driussi, who like Messi is from Argentina, said it’s impossible to overstate the importance of the move, but he would tell Messi that the MLS is not a league where one casually plays out his career.

“A lot of people have the thought it’s a retirement league, but I came here as a young player and every game is a challenge,” said Driussi, who turned 27 in February. “This is a competitive league and not a retirement league. … Him coming is incredible, and of course all Argentineans are happy that he’s here. And me especially because I came to this league knowing it’s going to grow.”

Will Austin FC play against Lionel Messi … ever?

It’s possible that Austin FC might miss out on facing Messi, who turns 36 later this month, during his stint in the league that will run through the 2025 season. With El Tree in the Western Conference and having hosted Miami last year and playing them this season, it’s doubtful the MLS would have the two clubs play again so quickly with teams in different conferences not guaranteed to play each other.

That’s bad for Austin FC fans, but Wolff joked probably good from a coaching preparation standpoint.

“He’d be a nice one to avoid,” he quipped. “He’s quite an influential player and makes everyone around him much better. If the day comes when we face him, we’d have to see how our group looks, but he’s certainly someone who’s tough to stop. Any great player is tough to shut down, and when those types of players come along it’s a collective effort where you try to minimize their space and time on the ball.”

Rested and healthy (for the most part)

Austin FC (5-7-4, 19 points) will have its deepest roster in more than a month when it faces Kansas City (4-8-5, 17 points), which is 3-1-2 over its last six games after a slow start to the year.

Midfielder Owen Wolff returned to the club this week after playing for the youth U.S. men’s national team at the under-20 World Cup, while defender Aleksandar Radovanović will be available after suffering a separated shoulder May 31 vs. Minnesota.

Driussi and midfielder Diego Fagundez seem to have fully healed from their groin injuries, and after going through a stretch where it played nine times in 29 days, Austin FC enters the match on a week of full rest.

“We definitely needed the break,” Driussi said. “I think it’s helped us get our energy back.”

Väisänen return this season possible

Center back Leo Väisänen will not need surgery for the torn knee ligament he suffered May 24 vs. Chicago in the U.S. Open Cup, Wolff said.

It’s good news for the club, though it will be until September at the earliest when he’s available to play again.

Saturday’s match

Austin FC (5-7-4, 19 points) at Sporting KC (4-8-5, 17 points), 7:30 p.m., Apple TV

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Ahead of KC match, Wolff, Driussi know Messi will be big for MLS