MIAMI, 30 August — When Inter Miami hosts Nashville tonight, head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino anticipates Lionel Messi to start once again as they try to maintain their playoff hopes in Major League Soccer.

In the second half of Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Red Bulls in New York, Messi and his old Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets both came off the bench, and Messi scored another memorable goal despite his few minutes.

They both needed the rest, according to Martino.

The Argentine great Messi played eight games in a month for Miami in their successful Leagues Cup campaign and a US Open Cup semifinal victory after his hugely anticipated arrival in July.

Martino, however, said Wednesday that the break had been sufficient.

“The game he needed, the key game for him to have a bit of recovery was the last one in New York, the same with Busquets,” Martino said. “If there are no issues, he should start.”

His first MLS regular-season minutes came when Messi came off the bench, and he didn’t disappoint, scoring a lovely goal in the 89th minute.

Messi received a deft pass from Benjamin Cremaschi, whose low first-time cross was tapped in by the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, after Jordi Alba acrobatically hooked the ball into the box to Messi. Messi then pivoted and twisted before slipping the magnificent pass.

“I think it’s the first time I’ve watched an assist no less than 10 times … I really can’t understand how he saw Cremaschi,” Martino said.

Since joining Inter Miami, Messi has scored 11 goals in nine appearances across all competitions. With 11 games left, Inter Miami is presently in 13th place in the Eastern Conference, 11 points short of the last playoff spot. — AFP