Lionel Messi’s status for debut after first training session

Barring any setback, Lionel Messi is set to make his Inter Miami debut on Friday when they play in the Leagues Cup opener against Mexican club Cruz Azul. What’s not certain, however, is whether Messi will start or come off the bench.

Messi just underwent his first training session with the team on Tuesday after officially signing his contract over the weekend and being introduced to the public as the newest member of the club. The training certainly went smoothly, putting the former Barcelona star well on track to suit up Friday.

As Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said, however, Messi’s overall status has yet to be seen. He emphasized the need to “protect” Messi as the World Cup winner tries to get back to full game shape after a vacation.

“We don’t know if Leo will start the game or whether he’ll come on, because I think at the end of the day, he needs to be ready. We need to protect him and make sure that he’s ready because he’s had a vacation,” Beckham said, via ESPN.

“He’s now been in Miami for a week and he’s been training really hard and he looks great. So I think Leo and [head coach] Tata [Martino] will decide when he plays and when he comes on on Friday, but the atmosphere here will be incredible, and hopefully we get a win.”

Whether Lionel Messi starts or comes off the bench in his first game won’t matter, though. As long as he suits up and steps foot on the field, it will be a monumental event for the league and the club.

Here’s to hoping that Messi’s arrival will be a huge catalyst for Inter Miami. The club is at the bottom of the MLS standings with a 22-5 record. They haven’t won a game for over one month now, though they have drawn three of their past six games.