´Open to discussion´ – Mascherano uncertain on Messi involvement against Toronto

Javier Mascherano hinted that Lionel Messi could beryllium rested for Inter Miami successful MLS, with Toronto FC adjacent up connected Sunday.

Miami were connected a nine-match unbeaten streak successful each competitions earlier suffering a 1-0 decision to Los Angeles FC successful their Concacaf Champions Cup quarter-final archetypal limb successful midweek.

In MLS, the Herons beryllium apical of the Eastern Conference connected 13 points, having won their past 4 games connected the bounce aft opening the play with a draw.

However, Mascherano admitted Messi could beryllium retired of the Toronto crippled successful bid for him to beryllium disposable and caller for the 2nd limb against LAFC adjacent week.

“We’ll speech astir it with him arsenic we ever do, conscionable similar we bash with astir players,” helium said. “Obviously, I person an idea, but it’s unfastened to discussion.

“Beyond the information that Wednesday’s lucifer is 1 of the astir important games since the commencement of the season, we can’t disregard that what we bash connected Sunday volition person an interaction connected Wednesday. It’s not thing to overlook.”

There was besides immoderate disapproval of Messi’s show against LAFC aft helium drew a blank, though helium attempted a game-high 5 shots successful the crippled and created 1 chance.

“He’s a subordinate who understands the crippled similar nary 1 else,” Mascherano added. “He indispensable beryllium 1 of the fewer players successful the satellite who ever does what the crippled asks for.

“If he’s deeper, it’s due to the fact that he’s looking for wherever to person the shot and wherever to marque an impact.”

to MIA vs TFC pic.twitter.com/f0Ttu3zYYD

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) April 4, 2025

Toronto, meanwhile, person made a torrid commencement to the 2025 season, and beryllium 2nd from bottommost successful the array aft earning conscionable 2 points.

They earned a large constituent against the West leaders, Vancouver Whitecaps, past weekend, and caput manager Robin Fraser stressed the value of his players moving unneurotic successful different pugnacious test.

“We don’t adjacent request to spell into the magnitude of endowment that they person connected that team,” helium said.

“For us, it’s different week wherever we person to enactment truly hard, we person to enactment cohesively arsenic a unit, support good and instrumentality attraction of the ball.

“It’s a squad that tin wounded you successful truthful galore ways, truthful we person to beryllium a really, truly coagulated group; it’s astir what we bash collectively.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Inter Miami – Lionel Messi

Messi has contributed to astatine slightest 1 extremity successful 10 consecutive location matches for Inter Miami successful each competitions, totalling 15 extremity contributions implicit that run.

This is Messi’s longest tally of consecutive nine location games with a extremity publication since a stunning tally of 14 consecutive with Barcelona successful 2015-16.

Toronto FC – Deybi Flores

Toronto’s 7 shots against Vancouver connected Saturday added up to an expected goals worth of 0.77, with Deybi Flores liable for the highest idiosyncratic full (0.34 xG) contempt having conscionable 1 effort.

It marked the 41st clip since the commencement of the 2023 play that Toronto FC had an expected goals full nether 1.00 successful a match, 5 much than immoderate different squad successful that time.

Miami up next

Sunday Night Soccer pres. by @continentaltire

Watch connected #MLSSeasonPass : https://t.co/TAy8UR0tzZ pic.twitter.com/f9zwlETcar

— Toronto FC (@TorontoFC) April 4, 2025

MATCH PREDICTION: INTER MIAMI WIN

Inter Miami person won each six of their location matches against Toronto FC, outscoring the Reds 19-6 successful those games. Only Seattle Sounders (eight vs. Minnesota United), Atlanta United (seven vs. Chicago Fire) and Tampa Bay Mutiny (seven vs. San Jose Earthquakes) person a amended 100% location grounds against a azygous hostile successful MLS history.

Miami extended their club-record regular-season unbeaten tally to 16 games (W12 D4) with a 2-1 triumph implicit Philadelphia Union past week.

The Herons person mislaid lone 2 of their past 32 regular-season matches dating backmost to the opening of April 2024 (W23 D7).

Toronto, meanwhile, person earned conscionable 2 points this play and are disconnected to their second-worst commencement to a play successful nine past done six games (no points successful 2012). The Reds are 1 of a grounds 5 MLS teams with 2 points oregon less done six matches this play aft lone 1 of the league’s archetypal 29 seasons had much than 1 specified squad (three successful 2019).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Inter Miami – 78.2%

Draw – 13.2%

Toronto FC – 8.7%