Lionel Messi will likely miss D.C. United-Inter Miami game, a letdown for fans and players

Inter Miami will, indeed, arrive at the Buzzard Point venue Saturday afternoon, but Messi probably will not — troubled by a right hamstring strain incurred Wednesday during an international tournament match.

Assistant coach Javier Morales told reporters in South Florida on Friday that the 36-year-old forward is “practically ruled out” for the game in Washington and the team is awaiting test results for additional information.

Messi’s absence would disappoint local fans who missed out on seeing him play last season; Miami’s one visit to the District came just before he joined the squad.

When the 2024 schedule came out, United initially offered tickets to the Miami game through the season ticket package and premium options only. Once seats to that match were gone, the asking price on the secondary market stretched into four figures.

There were still many available this week, but when Messi’s injury was revealed, prices dropped substantially.

This would not be the first time local fans were left disappointed. In 2015, he did not play in Argentina’s friendly against El Salvador at the NFL stadium in Landover because of a calf injury.

Messi is scheduled to return to the area June 14 when the World Cup champion Argentines face Guatemala in Landover.

Fans would not be the only ones bummed about Messi’s absence this weekend. United players were also eager to play against arguably the greatest player in soccer history.

“You want to test yourself against the best,” midfielder Matti Peltola said.

“Everybody wants to play against Messi,” left back Pedro Santos said, “even if he can be a threat [against] us.”

But there is also the practical matter of winning games, and amid a bright start to the season under new coach Troy Lesesne, United (1-0-2) understands Miami’s loss would be its gain.

“It’s definitely a positive for us,” said United center back Christopher McVey, Messi’s Miami teammate last season.

“We have more chance to get three points,” Santos said.

Messi strained his right hamstring during a 3-1 victory over Nashville SC in the Concacaf Champions Cup in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He posted a goal and assist in the first half before departing five minutes after intermission.

Messi played all 90 minutes in Miami’s first three MLS games — he contributed three goals and one assist — and started against Nashville last week in the first leg of their series. But he skipped last Sunday’s regular season match against Montreal — a 3-2 home defeat — with what was described by team officials as a shin injury.

Messi is scheduled to join Argentina next week for friendlies against El Salvador and Costa Rica.

“There’s probably at least some of our group that says, ‘All right, now we don’t have to worry about someone of that level,’ ” United Coach Troy Lesesne said. “And then there’s another part of the group that probably wanted him to play, to try to test themselves and our club against the best of all time.”

United prepared this week for a Miami lineup that included Messi — “tendencies of how they like to get him the ball, how he pops up in weird spots and is lackadaisical on defense,” goalkeeper Alex Bono said.

On Thursday, the team was also preparing for Leonardo Campana to take Messi’s place.

But Lesesne and the players said their primary focus was on themselves and how to continue sharpening their play after defeating New England in the home opener last month and earning draws at Portland and Cincinnati — a positive step after missing the playoffs four consecutive years.

Lesesne’s pressing and proactive up-tempo style has begun to take shape and earn plaudits.

“It’s that type of style of play that we want to implement every single match but particularly in a situation where the opponent [like Miami] has played so many matches in a short period of time and is coming off short rest,” Lesesne said.

Even without Messi, though, Miami (2-1-1) is capable of causing trouble. The lineup includes three of Messi’s former FC Barcelona teammates: Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. It also features Paraguayan midfielder Diego Gómez, U.S. national team goalkeeper Drake Callender and former D.C. winger Julian Gressel.

“Just because [Messi] is not there,” Bono said, “doesn’t mean this game is going to be a breeze.”

Notes: United striker Christian Benteke, who missed two matches with a groin injury, practiced all week and, barring any late setbacks, will be in uniform. His front line partner, Ted Ku-DiPietro, will probably remain sidelined with a thigh injury. …

Peltola (Finland), right back Aaron Herrera (Guatemala), center back Matai Akinmboni and forward Kristian Fletcher (both U.S. under-19 squad) will miss the St. Louis City away match next Saturday while away with their respective national teams. MLS does not pause the schedule for all such international windows.