Messi Watch: Montreal awaits, return date still unclear

Inter Miami's next MLS fixture is at CF Montreal on Saturday, July 25, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Stade Saputo. For readers in Asia/Shanghai, that is Sunday, July 26 at 7:30 a.m. 1

The latest reporting points to another Messi-less Miami match. Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul are taking time off after Argentina's World Cup final. 2 AS USA reports that coach Guillermo Hoyos has not given Messi a fixed return date and places an early- or mid-August return at the earliest, but that remains a forecast rather than a club announcement. 3

Miami arrive on a five-match winning run after Wednesday's 3-2 comeback against Chicago. The club's official preview lists a 10-2-4 record and 34 points, good for second in the Eastern Conference. Messi still leads the team with 12 league goals and shares the team assist lead with Telasco Segovia on eight, even though he has been away from the squad. 1

Montreal are 13th in the East at 4-9-3 and lost 1-0 at Nashville on Wednesday. Their home record is the reason this is more than a routine mismatch: interim coach Philippe Eullaffroy's side have lost only once in eight games at Stade Saputo and have scored 16 goals across all competitions there. 2

The immediate answer comes Sunday morning in Asia/Shanghai. The longer-running Messi question is unchanged: Miami have a date to play, but not yet a date for their captain to return.