‘Try not to make a mistake’ – Lionel Messi injury update ahead of U.S. Open Cup final as Inter Miami boss Tata Martino asked to put ‘percentage’ on Argentine facing the Houston Dynamo

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner picked up an untimely knock while away on 2026 World Cup qualifying duty with Argentina. He has managed just 37 minutes of game time since then – having been forced off in a MLS clash with Toronto FC – and has sat out fixtures against Atlanta United and Orlando City.

Inter Miami’s next game is a big one, with major silverware set to be up for grabs against the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday, but Martino remains unsure as to whether Messi will come into contention for that clash.

Martino told reporters when asked for a pre-cup final update on Messi: “It’s very difficult to give him a percentage because we have to take it day by day. We’ll continue to evaluate him and, as I always say, I will listen to him first and see how he’s feeling. Then we’ll also need to evaluate future risks. It’s not an easy decision, but we’re going to take the right amount of time to try to not make a mistake.”

Inter Miami have a crunch clash with New York City to come on the back of their midweek meeting with Houston, with the side from the Big Apple currently occupying the final play-off spot in the MLS Eastern Conference that Martino, Messi and co. have their eye on – with a five-point gap to the post-season still needing to be bridged.