Lionel Messi Rested Ahead Of Charlotte Vs Inter Miami; Kickoff Time And TV Info
Inter Miami will be without Lionel Messi as charlotte vs inter miami kicks off Saturday night at Bank of America Stadium, with the match set to begin at 6: 30 pm ET on 14 Mar. Head coach Javier Mascherano has left Messi and Rodrigo De Paul out of the squad, a decision described as a rest rather than an injury-related absence.
Charlotte Vs Inter Miami — Messi, De Paul Left Out
Mascherano made the call to rest captain Lionel Messi for the MLS regular-season fixture at Charlotte FC; the choice was not prompted by any current injury. Messi last featured for Inter Miami in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 against Nashville SC, a 0-0 draw at GEODIS Park in which he played the entire match. Rodrigo De Paul will also be absent from the trip to Bank of America Stadium.
Kickoff Time, Broadcast And How To Watch
The match kicks off at 6: 30 pm ET on 14 Mar. English-language live streams are available on Apple TV for the Major League Soccer season. Broadcasters and streaming platforms are offering coverage for the fixture; viewers should check their local listings or streaming services for access in their region.
Match Context, Team Form And Stakes
Charlotte enter the game coming off a 3-1 win over 10-man Austin FC and have shown strong form at home, including multiple clean sheets in recent matches. History between the sides includes a 3-0 Charlotte victory at Bank of America Stadium last year; the artificial surface at that venue was noted but not considered decisive when key Inter Miami players featured.
Inter Miami arrive as defending MLS Cup champions and have begun their campaign with two wins and one loss, totaling six points in the early 2026 standings. The club is balancing its league fixtures with Concacaf Champions Cup commitments: after Saturday’s game, Inter Miami will host Nashville for the second-leg on March 18 at Chase Stadium with a place in the tournament quarterfinals at stake.
Mascherano has framed the Champions Cup as a priority while emphasizing that the team must treat all competitions seriously. “We’re not a team that chooses which competitions to play in; we’re obligated to compete in all of them, ” he said. “Clearly, the Champions League is the only competition the club normally plays in that we’re missing, and it’s generating a lot of excitement for all of us. Now, what we can’t allow is for this to become an obsession. It’s one thing to be excited, another to be obsessed. “
With Messi rested for the trip and De Paul also unavailable, Inter Miami will need other players to step up in what promises to be a competitive fixture at Bank of America Stadium. Fans tuning in for charlotte vs inter miami should expect tactical adjustments from Mascherano as the club manages fitness and multiple competitions in the opening weeks of the season.
