Inter Miami's Lionel Messi, left, and Paris Saint-Germain's Joao Neves compete for the ball during a Club World Cup match in Atlanta on June 29.Brynn Anderson/The Associated Press
CF Montréal is bracing for a visit from Lionel Messi.
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano said Friday the Argentine great is expected to travel to Montreal and be available to play in Saturday’s Major League Soccer match at Stade Saputo.
Mascherano dismissed the idea of leaving Messi in Florida, noting the team had a long week to recover from Sunday’s 4-0 loss against Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner last played in Canada on April 24, when Inter Miami fell 2-0 to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal at B.C. Place Stadium.
The 38-year-old Messi, the reigning league MVP, has 10 goals and six assists in 13 MLS games for Miami this season.
The two sides last met in Miami, with Messi scoring twice and dishing an assist in a 4-2 win over Montreal.
Inter Miami sits seventh in the Eastern Conference with 29 points (8-3-5), including a 3-1-3 record on the road.
CF Montréal is last in the East and second-last in MLS with 14 points (3-12-5), with just one home win in nine starts – a 1-0 victory over New York City FC last Saturday.