In the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-final matchup, two MLS squads, Los Angeles FC and Inter Miami, will face off at the Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, USA, on Wednesday (April 2).

The winner of this series will advance to the semifinals. If Inter Miami emerges victorious, they will encounter the victor from the contest between Vancouver Whitecaps and Pumas UNAM.

Inter Miami is presently displaying superb performance as the team maintains an unbeaten record in nine encounters across all competitions this season, with an overall tally of eight triumphs and one draw, and currently enjoys a seven-game victory streak. The Herons will journey to BMO Stadium seeking to extend their unbeaten start of the 2025 campaign.

LAFC vs Inter Miami: Will Lionel Messi Play in CONCACAF Champions Cup Today?

Following his return from a slight adductor muscle injury that kept him absent during Argentina's latest international matches, Messi staged a short yet influential comeback by netting the winning goal in Inter Miami's 2-1 triumph over Philadelphia Union on March 29. Therefore, it is anticipated that Messi will participate in the upcoming Concacaf Champions Cup quarter-final first-leg clash against LAFC.

Inter Miami is still regulating Messi's playing duration, however. It remains possible the striker only appears as a substitute for a second-half stint, comparable to his showing against Philadelphia Union. Inter Miami's head coach, Javier Mascherano, has suggested that although Messi is ready to compete, his involvement may be cautiously managed to guarantee a complete recovery.

"I expect that Leo will be fit and he can play, but at the end, you will know at the beginning of the game. The most important thing is that he finished the match against Philadelphia well. The reality is that we returned to training. We gave them a rest on Sunday, so today we'll see how they feel", Mascherano said recently.