Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami take on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr in a Riyadh Season Cup exhibition match as the Major League Soccer club prepares for its season opener at the end of February.
However, the Saudi Pro League team will be without Ronaldo as he is recovering from a calf injury.
“Cristiano is in the final part of his recovery to join the group,” said Luis Castro, coach of Al Nassr, in his press conference this Wednesday. “We hope that he can start working with the team in the coming days. He will be an element that will be absent from the game.”
Ronaldo’s absence is a blow to organizers and to football fans around the world who wanted to see the latest (and, perhaps, final) installment of a rivalry that has helped define modern football. Will Messi, at least, be involved in the match in the Saudi capital?
The Jugo Mobile takes a look at the latest team news on Inter Miami and their star man.
Does Lionel Messi play against Ronaldo today?
The highly anticipated match between Al Nassr and Inter Miami is scheduled to take place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh and was touted as the ultimate showdown between two football greats who shared many great battles during their time at Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Earlier this week, Messi’s team suffered a 4-3 defeat against Saudi Pro League leaders Al Hilal. Al Nassr currently occupies second position, seven points behind Al Hilal.
The Argentina international scored a penalty in the second half of that match and has no injury problems ahead of Thursday’s friendly. Without leaving any reason for Messi to miss the clash.
Luis Suárez has reunited with Messi and played in several Inter Miami exhibition matches, and also scored against Al Hilal.
The former Barcelona duo are joined by Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, who also arrived from the Catalan club and are expected to be part of the starting eleven.
Al-Nassr confirms that Cristiano Ronaldo will not play against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami on Thursday.
There is no last dance ? pic.twitter.com/L88uXOUKTu
— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 31, 2024
What time is the Al Nassr vs Inter Miami 2024 match?
The friendly match between Al Nassr and Inter Miami will begin at 9 pm local time on Thursday, February 1, 2024.
The game will take place at the Kingdom Arena, a 30,000-capacity venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is where Al Hilal of the Saudi Pro League play their home games.
Here’s how the start time translates in some of the major territories around the world:
| Date | Start time | |
| USA | Thursday February 1 | 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time |
| Canada | Thursday February 1 | 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time |
| United Kingdom | Sunday, January 21 | 6:00 pm GMT |
| Australia | Friday, February 2 | 5am AEDT |
| India | Thursday February 1 | 11:30 pm Eastern Time |
Inter Miami vs Al Nassr live stream, TV channel
| television channel | Transmission | |
| USA | — | Apple TV (MLS Season Pass) |
| Canada | — | Apple TV (MLS Season Pass) |
| United Kingdom | — | Apple TV (MLS Season Pass) |
This friendly match between Inter Miami and Al Nassr of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will be broadcast worldwide via the MLS Season Pass from Apple TV.
MLS Season Pass is the home of the entire 2024 Major League Soccer season, and all matches will be broadcast on the platform during the upcoming campaign. They will also have broadcast rights to the Leagues Cup, which will take place in August when MLS clubs pause their league schedule to play a knockout tournament against clubs in the Mexican top flight.
