FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi is planning another preseason tour with Inter Miami. The tour is a five-game trip that will see the MLS Supporters' Shield winners play in four countries as they prepare for the 2025 season. .
The games announced Friday were three in South and Central America. Inter Miami begins its swing with a match against Peruvian champions Club Universitario de Deportes in Lima on January 29.
From there, the club travels to Panama City to face Sporting San Miguelito on February 2, before traveling to San Pedro Sula, Honduras to face Club Deportivo Olympia on February 8.
The first and last preseason games are already known. Inter Miami is scheduled to play Mexican powerhouse Club America in Las Vegas on January 18th and then MLS rival Orlando City in Tampa, Florida on February 14th.
“We are very excited to unveil five matches against domestic and international opponents across the country to prepare for a highly anticipated 2025,” said Inter Miami President of Football Operations Raul Sanllehi. “These matches will get us in top form. With the variety of competitions we play this year, including the FIFA Club World Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup, League Cup and MLS, we have an unrivaled campaign ahead of us.”
With 34 regular season MLS games, five preseason games, and three cup tournaments, Inter Miami could easily exceed 50 games this season and possibly even more. And that doesn't even include the international appearances of Messi and several other Inter Miami players.
This year's preseason tour is not as ambitious as what Inter Miami had planned last year, with stops in Dallas, El Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Japan scheduled. Most of that trip didn't go as expected. The match between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia did not happen because Ronaldo was sidelined due to injury. And Asian fans were furious that Messi missed one game there and played sparingly in another. Some refunds were issued to appease disappointed ticket holders, some of whom spent more than $600 to see Messi play.
Inter Miami's training camp begins Saturday with physicals. New coach Javier Mascherano's first practice is Monday.
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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
2025-01-10 18:58:16
Messi-led Inter Miami announces 5-game, 4-country pre-season tour
