On the eve of their crucial match against Nashville, Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates ran through the motions. Messi appeared to be in good spirits.

Miami needs to win against Nashville on Wednesday night in order to maintain its slim playoff aspirations, as Chicago Fire is currently 11 points behind Miami in ninth place.

Tata Martino’s team can ill afford any mistakes as they pursue a playoff spot with just 11 games remaining, and Messi’s stellar start to his time with the club only increases their chances of doing so.

The World Cup champion captain of Argentina has had an incredible start to his Inter career, tallying 11 goals in his first nine matches and leading the team to Leagues Cup victory earlier this month.

Additionally, he gave Leonardo Campana a crucial assist in the dying seconds of the US Open Cup semifinal triumph over Cincinnati last week.Messi will try to repeat those heroics against Nashville in Miami on Wednesday when their playoff hopes are on the line.

He was spotted working out at the DRV PNK Stadium one day before the match with players including Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and DeAndre Yedlin.Ten days after defeating Nashville in the Leagues Cup final on penalties, Miami is anticipated to parade the trophy at some point on Wednesday night.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, who came off the bench in Saturday’s MLS victory over the New York Red Bulls, is expected to start again, was beaming while chatting with former Barcelona teammates Busquets and Alba.At the weekend in New York, Messi made his Major League Soccer debut with a goal off the bench, combining superbly with Benjamin Cremaschi for Inter’s second goal in a 2-0 triumph.

However, Mail Sport columnist and former Premier League striker Chris Sutton does not think Messi will have a long-lasting impact despite his early success abroad. Sutton asserted on Mail Sport’s brand-new podcast It’s All Kicking Off that after the 36-year-old goes, MLS would revert to being a league for “washed up players” when asked whether he intends to offer the league long-term legitimacy.

In an interview for Mail Sport’s It’s All Kicking Off podcast, Sutton said, “I think the MLS would like to think so, but I don’t think it will long term.” They will soon be in the Messi phase. When he’s had enough, it will return to its previous state. It’s a league for athletes who, dare I say it, have lost all hope. For players from Europe who wish to move to America at the end of their careers to live with their families.He is clean-shaven for him, isn’t he? Although he is still good, he has lost his way. As Ronaldo is being written off, he joins the Saudi Pro League. Due to their refusal to go there, they are no longer the players they once were.He’s nearing the conclusion of his professional life. Because he would have returned to Barcelona if he had had true ambition, he is not the player he once was.