Lionel Messi was injured and Keylor Navas was sent off, leaving the highly anticipated Inter Miami vs. Pumas match in the 2025 Leagues Cup without its star players.

Messi and Keylor Navas to miss Inter Miami vs. Pumas in the Leagues Cup

The Leagues Cup promised a stellar matchup between Inter Miami and Pumas, scheduled for this Wednesday. However, in a matter of hours, the show fell apart: Lionel Messi was injured against Necaxa and Keylor Navas was sent off against Atlanta United, leaving both teams without their most high-profile players.

Messi and Navas offside

During the match between Inter Miami and Necaxa, Lionel Messi left the field just 11 minutes into the game after colliding with two defenders. Although he tried to continue, the Argentine ended up heading straight to the locker room, visibly frustrated.

Meanwhile, in the match between Pumas and Atlanta United, Keylor Navas was sent off in stoppage time for a foul outside the box. The Costa Rican goalkeeper brought down Jamal Thiare as he was heading toward a one-on-one situation, and despite VAR intervention, the red card stood.

A highly anticipated match, now without its star players

What was one of the most exciting matches in the Leagues Cup ended up being a disappointment for fans. Messi and Keylor will not face each other, and both clubs lose not only their star players but also a great media opportunity.
Pumas could line up Pablo Lara or Rodrigo Parra in goal, while Inter Miami has yet to confirm the Argentine's recovery time.