FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Lionel Messi countdown is officially underway.
The GOAT was in action during Thursday’s training session, his last with Inter Miami before Friday’s game against Mexico’s Cruz Azul.
There has been plenty of hype about this being Messi’s debut game in MLS, but IMCF Head Coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino is trying to keep expectations low.
Martino said he is not sure yet just how much time Messi will play Friday, or at what point of the game he’ll go in.
Keep in mind, Messi may be the best in the world, but there is still a process of adapting, not just to a team still very much under construction, but also the South Florida heat.
That being said, Messi is perceived as a huge threat by Cruz Azul.
“We have to be focused the whole game, even if he comes in last 20 minutes, because we know how clever he is and with one play he can finish the game,” said Cruz Azul player Carlos Salcedo.
There is good news for fans still waiting to get their hands on tickets for Messi’s debut, as ticket prices have plummeted.
At last check on Thursday afternoon, some tickets were available for just under $200.