MIAMI — Inter Miami plays its fourth game of the MLS season on Sunday at home against CF Montreal, and the questions about Lionel Messi’s availability have begun.

The 36-year-old Argentine star played the full 90 minutes of every game thus far, three MLS games and the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 against Nashville on Thursday. He took a hard kick to the calf in the Nashville game, though he continued and assistant coach Javi Morales said Saturday morning that Messi seemed fine.

“The knock on Leo was just a knock, a hard tackle, but he is fine, he finished the game fine, so that is not a factor,” Morales said.

But Morales was noncommittal about a projected lineup when asked whether Messi and/or any of his teammates might skip the Montreal game to be fully rested for the second leg of the Champions Cup series against Nashville at home on Wednesday night. Miami tied Nashville 2-2 in the first leg.

“It’s something we haven’t decided yet because we arrived from the Nashville game late and the team was off (Friday),” Morales said. “We have to see how the players are, especially the ones who played the most minutes and then we will make a decision after practice (Saturday) and we will see who is healthy and ready to play Sunday.”

Asked specifically about Messi’s status for the game Sunday, Morales said: “We all know Leo, he’s a player who wants to play every game. I think it will depend on a conversation with him to see how he is doing and to decide what is best for him. He has played all the games for 90 minutes and we will make the best decision thinking of him.”

Inter Miami coach Tata Martino stressed from the start of the preseason that managing players’ minutes, particularly the ones in their mid-30s, will be critical as the schedule includes 34 MLS games, the Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, and for some players, including Messi and 37-year-old Luis Suarez, the Copa America this summer.

Suarez battled knee issues much of last season in the Brazilian league and seemed a bit hobbled in the preseason, but has been in good form of late, scoring three goals and registering three assists in the past two games.

Morales said there are no designated plans to rotate Suarez out of the lineup, that it will be a game-by-game decision.

Messi and Suarez were not on the field during the open media portion of Saturday morning’s training session. Eight players who did not play against Nashville did drills while six of the Thursday starters ran (Sergio Busquets, Fede Redondo, Diego Gomez, Nico Freire, Noah Allen, Julian Gressel). Sergiy Kryvtsov and Tomas Aviles were not on the field.

“Luis is fine as far as the injury goes, he has played all the games, and scored two goals in the last home game and one goal on Thursday,” Morales said. “The injury is fine, and he can play. But what we have talked about is Luis, Leo, all the players, have been playing a lot of minutes during this stretch and we have to manage it the best we can because it’s a long season and we’re just starting. We can’t do anything crazy. Same as Leo, we will talk to Luis and see how he feels.”

Jordi Alba, who was ill and missed the Nashville game, was back at training on Saturday, as was Leo Campana, who sat out the Nashville game after sustaining a leg injury during training on Wednesday.

“Jordi feels much better and is at practice, so we’ll see about him,” Morales said. “I don’t think there will be any problem. Leo Campana has barely any pain and is practicing, so we will see if he is ready for Sunday.”

The Montreal roster has several faces familiar to Inter Miami players, staff and fans. Venezuelan forward Josef Martinez, who signed with Miami last year with much fanfare, now plays for Montreal, as do former Inter Miami players Bryce Duke and Ariel Lassiter.

Martinez scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Dallas last weekend. Duke and Lassiter are both starters.

“It will be a difficult match for us, they have players we know well because they played here in the past,” Morales said. “It will be special to see Josef, a great guy, we have great memories with him here. But (Sunday) we will face him and try to beat Montreal.”

Montreal is doing well under new coach Laurent Courtas after a down year in 2023. In addition to Martinez, the team added Uruguayan forward Matias Coccaro and Brazilian defender Ruan, and Bulgarian midfielder Dominik Iankov, who has been slowed by injury in recent weeks.

Note

Morales and Paraguayan Inter Miami midfielder Diego Gomez were asked about reports that the team is finalizing a deal with Paraguayan national team midfielder Matias Rojas.

A league source with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed to the Miami Herald that Rojas is expected to sign in the coming days.

Rojas, 28, became a free agent after leaving Brazilian club Corinthians due to a contract dispute over unpaid wages, much of it in image rights, according to Brazilian news reports. The left-footed attacking midfielder had three assists in 30 games since joining Corinthians last year. Before that he played for Cerro Porteno in Paraguay, and then for Argentine clubs Lanus, Defensa y Justicia, and Racing Club.

“As for Matias Rojas, these are all rumors at this point and we will know once the final decisions are made,” Morales said. “We are looking for players in different positions to improve the team.”

Gomez added: “I have seen that the team is interested in Matias and I have spoken to him, we’ll see what happens.”

Inter Miami is also reportedly in talks with Argentine right back Marcelo Weigandt of Boca Juniors as a replacement for DeAndre Yedlin, who was traded to FC Cincinnati.

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