Lionel Messi will not be playing in Inter Miami's Leagues Cup quarterfinal match against Tigres UANL due to a minor muscle injury. The match is scheduled for Wednesday, August 20, at 8 p.m. ET at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Messi's absence is a significant blow to Inter Miami as they face one of the strongest teams in North America. Tigres, a Liga MX side, boasts a dangerous attack led by Ángel Correa, who is currently tied for the Golden Boot in the tournament.

The Inter Miami superstar's injury concerns arose during the team's recent 3-1 victory over LA Galaxy, where he scored a goal and provided an assist in 45 minutes of play. Messi was seen grabbing at his hamstring late in the game, which sparked concerns about his fitness. He did not participate in Miami's final practice session before the Leagues Cup clash.

Inter Miami's coach, Javier Mascherano, confirmed that Messi trained separately from the group and felt discomfort during his time on the field against LA Galaxy. Mascherano stated that Messi's availability would depend on how he feels, but he was ultimately ruled out for the match.

Messi had previously suffered the initial injury during Inter Miami's second Leagues Cup game against Necaxa and was subbed out of the match after only 11 minutes. He missed the subsequent two games before making his return against LA Galaxy.

Inter Miami will have to face Tigres without Messi, who has yet to score in Leagues Cup play. However, the team has other key players, including Rodrigo De Paul, who has quickly made an impact with a goal and three assists. Other possible players in Inter Miami's lineup include Óscar Ustari, Marcelo Weigandt, Gonzalo Luján, Noah Allen, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Tadeo Allende, Telasco Segovia and Luis Suárez.

Tigres enters the quarterfinal match after a 3-1 defeat to Club América in Liga MX's Apertura 2025. Besides Correa, Tigres' probable lineup includes Nahuel Guzmán, Javier Aquino, Rómulo Zwarg, Juan Purata, Jesús Garza, Diego Lainez, Juan Brunetta, Fernando Gorriarán, Ozziel Herrera, and André-Pierre Gignac. The team is coached by Guido Pizarro.

The winner of the Inter Miami vs. Tigres match could be considered the favorite to win the entire Leagues Cup tournament. Tigres is aiming to become the first Mexican side to win the tournament.

The game will be broadcast live on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV, FOX Sports 1, TUDN USA, UniMás, the Fox Sports App, and Fubo Sports, with coverage available in both English and Spanish.