Messi's return still has no date as Miami prepare for Columbus

Training is no longer the question. The question is whether Lionel Messi is ready to play. In a Friday report, ESPN quoted Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos saying the club has been talking with Messi, but "we haven't really had the chance to have a proper conversation yet" about his return to action. 1

That leaves the important distinction for this weekend: returning to the training ground is not the same as being named to the matchday squad. Hoyos has not publicly given Messi a return date, and the latest reporting does not confirm him for Columbus. 2

MLS's official match page lists Inter Miami against Columbus Crew in the regular season at Nu Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 2, at 7:30 a.m. Asia/Shanghai time. The same page displays Messi's current MLS line at 14 appearances, 12 goals and eight assists, but it does not announce that he has been selected for this fixture. 3

That makes Columbus a genuine checkpoint, not a promised comeback. If Messi is named, it would be his first competitive appearance since Argentina's World Cup final. If he is not, Inter Miami's next listed opportunity is the Aug. 5 Leagues Cup opener against Atletico de San Luis. 1

Casemiro has already completed a full 90 minutes in Miami's win at CF Montreal. Miami Herald reported that the Columbus match was scheduled to be his first appearance at Nu Stadium. 2

That gives Sunday's selection decision an extra layer: Hoyos may be managing Messi's return while introducing a new central midfielder to the home crowd. The pairing is possible; it is not yet confirmed.

Messi is back in Inter Miami's training environment, but the public status has not moved to "available." The reliable next signal is the official matchday squad for Columbus, not a training photo or a forecast from outside the club.