Lionel Messi showed up at the stadium, but he never set foot on the field. Inter Miami still pulled it off, beating Tigres 2-1 to reach the Leagues Cup semifinals, and it was veteran forward Luis Suárez who carried them there. The Uruguayan converted two penalties on the night, the second one coming in the 88th minute, sending Chase Stadium into a roar and booking a date with Orlando City in the next round.
Suárez in the spotlight, Messi missing
Messi traveled with the squad, but he never put the jersey on. The club didn’t explain anything, just released the lineup without his name and left it at that. Less than a week earlier, he’d come back from a muscle injury, played against the LA Galaxy, scored a goal, even set up another. So when his name was left off, it immediately raised questions. Was it a precaution, fatigue, or another setback? Nobody knows, and nobody’s talking.
While the chatter built around Messi, Suárez stepped in like he’s done so many times in his career. He calmly slotted the first penalty in the 23rd minute, only to see Ángel Correa equalize for Tigres after the break. When the pressure cranked up late, Suárez didn’t shy away. He took the ball, hit his second penalty with confidence, and wrapped up the win. That made it three goals in this year’s Leagues Cup and four in his last four matches overall, proof that this isn’t just a flash in the pan but steady production from a 38-year-old still making a difference.
Orlando City ahead, and the same old question
Now comes Orlando City, a team that knocked out Toluca on penalties and knows Miami all too well. Less than two weeks ago, Orlando hammered Inter 4-1 in MLS play. Messi wasn’t around that night either, and Miami couldn’t cope. This semifinal isn’t only about advancing, it’s got the feel of revenge written all over it. It’s also another test of whether Inter can manage without their biggest star. If history tells us anything, it won’t be easy.
Back in 2023, Messi drove Miami to a Leagues Cup title. The following year, when he wasn’t fully fit, they crashed out early. Now in 2025, the script feels familiar. Suárez kept them alive against Tigres, but the semifinal is against a rival that already knows how to break Miami down. The big question is whether Inter Miami can keep moving forward without relying entirely on Messi.