“We have to balance how much each player participates” - Gerardo Martino makes honest admission about Lionel Messi tour with Inter Miami

Inter Miami manager Gerardo Martino wants to manage Lionel Messi's playing time properly on their pre-season tour to avoid an overload. The Argentine tactician is set to start training as the Herons prepare for the 2024 season with an extensive tour.

Inter Miami had an underwhelming end to the 2023 season. They failed to qualify for the MLS playoffs for a second consecutive term.

Lionel Messi joined the Herons on a free transfer following his exit from French giants Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last summer. The 36-year-old made an instant impact at the club, scoring ten goals to help them win the Leagues Cup.

With the new season now set to start in February, Gerardo Martino is aware of the need to keep Lionel Messi and other players fit. He acknowledged to reporters during a media brief that players will be managed properly during their pre-season, which starts on January 19.

"We understand the business and sports sides, and we try to satisfy both sides without exceeding one or the other. We have to balance how much each player participates," he said (via The Guardian).

The Herons are set to travel around 25,000 miles for their seven-game international tour. Their pre-season camp will start on January 12, and they will play El Salvador away in the first game on January 19.

They will return to the USA for a match against FC Dallas, before traveling to Saudi Arabia for the Riyadh Season Cup. They will also travel to Hong Kong and Japan before ending their pre-season with a home match in February against Newell's Old Boys.

Lionel Messi, and other stars set to light up Inter Miami's pre-season

Inter Miami have managed to attract some of the world's biggest stars to their club in recent months. Former Barcelona stars Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets have all joined recently.

The MLS side are heading on their first-ever international tour and this will be a major revenue source for the club. The sheer number of stars in their squad means that they will attract a lot of fans and spectators.

Messi missed out on the tail end of last season with an unspecified injury, and the club would be keen to have him fit for their travels. They will manage his minutes, alongside those of others, to maximize their effectiveness on tour and during the 2024 season.