Lionel Messi and Inter Miami's clash with New England Revolution hit by food poisoning scare just hours before kick-off

It's top versus bottom in the Easter Conference on Saturday when leaders Inter Miami take on the New England Revolution. The hosts, who have managed only one win all season, have hit a further problem ahead of the game against Lionel Messi and Co. According to the Blazing Musket, some New England players are suffering with food poisoning just hours before the match is due to kick off.

Messi has already received a hero's welcome in Boston before the match, with fans clearly excited to see the World Cup winner in action. However, New England Revolution boss Caleb Porter has warned his players he'll bench anyone who seems to be in awe of the Inter Miami superstar as he looks to secure a much-needed win for his side.

Meanwhile, Tata Martino spoke about the importance of Miami winning the match in his pre-game press conference: "Twenty-four points [from this stretch of games before Copa América] would make me happy, but it's difficult to calculate things in that way. All games are important, and we play away a lot. The best thing that happened was recovering well after the elimination against Monterrey. The team managed two league victories, and we have a good amount of points."

Fans will have to wait until kick-off to see how the food poisoning may have affected the home side's squad for the match as they aim to recover from what's been a disappointing start to the season.