The Vancouver Whitecaps have advised followers to not anticipate to see Inter Miami CF stars Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Sergio Busquets of their match Saturday at BC Place.
“Whereas we have not obtained an official replace on the supply of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Sergio Busquets for this weekend, we perceive they won’t make this journey. Sadly, now we have no management over who performs for our opponent, and it was necessary for us to speak to our followers as quickly as doable,” Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster mentioned in an announcement.
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If the three former Barcelona stars do not make the journey, it will not be as a consequence of damage, with sources telling ESPN that every one are match.
Messi, Suárez and Busquets all participated in Miami’s open coaching Tuesday evening at Chase Stadium, finishing the one-hour session and interacting with season-ticket holders following the drills.
Inter Miami has but to offer an announcement in response to its opponent’s information launch.
Saturday’s sport marks the primary time Inter Miami and the Vancouver Whitecaps face off in MLS, with scheduling stopping the groups in opposing conferences from taking part in each other.
“We at all times need our greatest gamers going up in opposition to our opponent’s finest gamers, and dealing with gamers of the very best pedigree was particularly thrilling for our crew,” the Whitecaps added of their assertion. “We all know that there will even be quite a lot of disenchanted followers. We stay dedicated to creating this a particular expertise for everybody. It’s nonetheless going to be an unimaginable ambiance and celebration of soccer for our metropolis. We’ve got wonderful followers, now we have crew, and Saturday’s match is an important residence sport for us.”
The Whitecaps anticipate a membership MLS-era record-breaking crowd Saturday — with greater than 50,000 folks anticipated to attend the match — promoting out tickets and internet hosting “the largest road occasion within the crew’s historical past.” Vancouver might be providing a 50% low cost on all in-stadium meals and beverage to followers to mitigate any disappointment ought to Messi, Suárez and Busquets not make the journey for the sport.
Will probably be Messi’s seventh absence of the yr due to a leg damage or relaxation. The Whitecaps play on turf at BC Place, however the 2022 World Cup winner has mentioned he’s prepared to play on it, not like many different gamers.
One other doable cause Messi and his former Barcelona teammates are sitting is the gap from Miami to Vancouver. A nonstop flight is sort of 2,900 miles, and Inter Miami has to show round and play Atlanta United at residence on Wednesday.
The 36-year-old Argentine star has 10 objectives in 10 MLS video games this season and leads the league in assists with 12. Miami leads the Japanese Convention standings and Vancouver is seventh within the West.
Info from The Related Press and Reuters was used on this story.
