Lionel Messi will start on the substitutes' bench for his first Inter Miami game at a sold-out DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Friday.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner was named on bench alongside fellow new signing and former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets for Miami's opening Leagues Cup match against Mexican side Cruz Azul.
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Miami has long targeted Friday's game for Messi to make his debut for the MLS side following his blockbuster arrival on a free transfer. He signed a 2½-year contract with Inter Miami that will pay him between $50 million and $60 million annually.
However, manager Gerardo «Tata» Martino had cautioned in the build-up to the match that both Messi and Busquets may not be fit enough to play from the start after only recently returning from vacation following the end of the European club season last month.
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