FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Inter Miami will face its toughest test of the year so far without Lionel Messi.

The Argentine star was not on the game roster for the Champions Cup quarterfinal first leg against Mexican team Monterrey on Wednesday night.

It is the fourth game in a row Messi will miss since suffering a hamstring strain in the Champions Cup Round of 16 game against Nashville on March 13.

The Miami starting lineup is: Drake Callender, Marcelo Weigandt, Tomas Aviles, Nico Freire, Jordi Alba, Diego Gomez, Sergio Busquets, David Ruiz, Julian Gressel, Robert Taylor, and Luis Suarez.

Inter Miami coach Tata Martino had said Tuesday that Messi would be a game-day decision. The team is undefeated in five games with him this year and has lost two of three without him.

“Leo has had an injury, we have been managing that, and even though it is a very important game for us tomorrow, it is only early April and we don’t want to take any unnecessary risk,” Martino said. “We have to see what is best for Leo and from there we will make the correct decision.”

The teams meet again in Monterrey on April 10 at 10:30 p.m.

The winner of this round advances to the semifinal and will play the winner of Columbus Crew vs. Tigres of Mexico. The winner of the June 2 final takes home $5 million in prize money and qualifies for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, being held in the United States.

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