Lionel Messi looks worse for wear! Inter Miami superstar dishevelled after red-eye flight from Saudi Arabia to Hong Kong following Al-Nassr thrashing

The MLS outfit are working their way through a packed pre-season schedule. There is plenty of travelling involved there, with the Herons having already visited El Salvador and Saudi Arabia. They suffered back-to-back defeats in the Middle East – with the latest of those seeing them crushed 6-0 by a Cristiano Ronaldo-less Al-Nassr.

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Tata Martino and his players were given little time to reflect on that setback, as they headed straight to the airport and off to the Far East on a red-eye flight. Inter Miami are set to face a Hong Kong Select XI on Sunday before then lining up against Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe on February 7.

Messi and Co should be a little more awake by the time they next take to the field, and will be determined to secure their first victory of a historic international tour. They have added veteran Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez to their ranks in 2024, but are still searching for an attacking spark.

Time is still on their side, ahead of the MLS kick-off on February 21, and Messi should be well rested after only seeing seven minutes off the bench against Al-Nassr – with no risks taken on his fitness there after seeing Ronaldo ruled out of what was supposed to a ‘Last Dance’ between two eternal rivals due to injury.