Lionel Messi Out for Inter Miami; MLS’ Dynamo Respond by Giving Free Tickets to Fans

Lionel Messi did not make the trip with his Inter Miami teammates for Sunday’s matchup against the Houston Dynamo, with the Miami Herald’s Michelle Kaufman reporting that, “According to a club source, Messi is not injured, but did not make the trip because of a coach’s decision to rest him due to the congested team schedule.”

That, of course, will be a major disappointment for Houston fans who were clamoring to see the GOAT in action. In response, the Dynamo said they would offer fans who still attended the game a complimentary ticket to a future match:

Inter Miami is clearly trying to carefully manage the workload for the 37-year-old Messi, who had an incredible 20 goals and 16 assists in 19 matches last season. The club is the most dangerous in MLS when he’s healthy, but far less formidable when he’s unavailable.

Managing that workload is going to mean situations like Sunday’s load management, however. It makes sense for Inter Miami, but it will be a major bummer for the fans who miss out on the chance to see him play.