Lionel Messi will not be available for Inter Miami's derby matchup with Orlando City in MLS, with Javier Mascherano saying it would be "crazy" to risk him.

Messi suffered a muscle injury during Miami's Leagues Cup game against Necaxa on August 2, which they drew 2-2 before winning 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out.

He missed their final Leagues Cup group-stage match four days later, as a 3-1 victory over Pumas UNAM sealed the Herons' spot in the quarter-finals.

Mascherano's men return to MLS action with a road game against Florida neighbours Orlando on Sunday, with the Lions unbeaten in their seven all-time home meetings with Miami (two wins, five draws, including a penalty shoot-out win in the U.S. Open Cup in 2022).

Messi has scored eight of Miami's 13 MLS goals since their Club World Cup exit, with only one other player – Telasco Segovia with three – netting multiple goals in that span.

But Mascherano will have to cope without his talisman at Inter&Co Stadium, telling reporters: "No, Leo will not be available.

"Leo is okay, but obviously it would be crazy to take the risk of taking him to Orlando because of all that is ahead. We are optimistic that he will soon return with us."

After facing Orlando, Miami take on the LA Galaxy on August 16, then face Tigres UNAL in the last eight of the Leagues Cup four days later.

Miami finished second in the Leagues Cup's MLS group, with only the Seattle Sounders boasting a better record, and Mascherano wants them to take confidence from that.

"We did what was in our hands to qualify, by a little we couldn't be leaders, but now we will try to focus on the two upcoming MLS matches then we will focus on the Leagues Cup match," he said. 

Miami will go top of the Eastern Conference if they win their three games in hand over the current leaders, the Philadelphia Union, but Mascherano knows topping the table will count for little if they fail to back it up in the playoffs.

Last year, Miami smashed the all-time regular-season points record with 74, but they were then stunned in the first round of the postseason by Atlanta United.

"We play to win, and to win all games. If we have the possibility to finish the regular season in first place that would be great," Mascherano added.

"It's good in terms of the advantages you can have in the playoffs, but we already saw last year that it doesn't mean anything.

"But our idea is to treat the 12 remaining MLS games to win all 12.

"If we have the possibility to play all three Leagues Cup games, also to win the Cup. The requirements and responsibility at this club is to go out and win all games we play."