Lionel Messi misses Inter Miami training along with key player ahead of FC Dallas clash

Inter Miami will face FC Dallas without their captain, Lionel Messi, and key player Luis Suarez, as the duo missed training ahead of the game. The Herons are set to invite Dallas to Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale today (April 27), where they will look to continue their unbeaten start to the MLS season.

This comes after a shocking midweek result that saw them lose 2-0 to Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup semi-final first leg. The match took place at BC Place, where the Canadian giants came out winners and sent the Herons back to Florida with their tails between their legs.

It seems as though Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano's focus is on the continental competition, as he looks set to rotate heavily in this Sunday's game. Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez were not part of the training session which was open to the media, while players like Sergio Busquets trained separately.

Mascherano has revealed to the press that the reason behind these absences is to manage player fatigue, while they prepare for the second leg against Vancouver. The head coach discussed Messi (via ESPN):

"Messi ended the game well. Obviously he was fatigued, playing on synthetic grass can make a player even more fatigued due to the floor. But he finished the game well."

He also added:

"One thing is to play every three days. Most of our players are used to it, another thing is to play with less than 72 hours... Now we will see. Surely there will be changes in the team. Because clearly I think that it's important to prioritize the next game and to get out of the defeat we need to win."

Inter Miami will hope to see off Dallas efficiently, so they can return to their hopes of clinching continental glory in the Champions Cup.

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Lionel Messi was frustrated during Inter Miami's 2-0 loss to Vancouver

Lionel Messi was frustrated as Inter Miami were handed a dent in their Champions Cup hopes this season, losing 2-0 to Vancouver Whitecaps. The legendary Argentine playmaker clashed with midfielder Andres Cubas, who caused him problems on the pitch. He also signalled to the jubilating crowd that the tie was far from over (via Sports Illustrated).

Despite fielding a solid squad that included the likes of Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez, the Herons could not find answers in the final third. Vancouver, on the other hand, got through the Florida giants' defenses, as Brian White opened the scoring in the 24th minute.

Sebastian Berhalter followed that up with a late goal in the 85th minute to seal the win for the hosts on the day. Now, Inter Miami and Lionel Messi will have to overcome a two-goal deficit in the second leg if they hope to progress.