MLS: Lionel Messi playing in Chicago Fire-Inter Miami soccer match at Soldier Field
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CHICAGO (WLS) — Superstar Lionel Messi is finally playing in an MLS match in Chicago after being injured in previous seasons when the Miami squad visited.

Messi will play Sunday at Soldier Field in the Chicago Fire-Inter Miami match, his teamed confirmed on social media.

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Inter Miami is riding the momentum of an emotionally draining victory as it heads to Chicago to face the Fire on Sunday afternoon.

Led by superstar Lionel Messi, who scored twice, Inter Miami (4-0-2, 14 points) rallied to beat LAFC 3-1 on Wednesday for a 3-2 win on aggregate to advance to the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals. Inter Miami’s most recent MLS match did not go as well, though, as it tied Toronto 1-1 last Sunday despite playing Messi and the rest of the regular lineup.

Meanwhile, Chicago (3-2-2, 11 points) is looking to rebound after having a five-game unbeaten streak snapped by the New York Red Bulls in a 2-1 loss April 5.

The main question heading into Sunday’s tilt was whether Messi finally would play in a match between the two sides at Soldier Field, but the team confirmed Sunday that he would play.

A huge crowd is expected as usual, but the Chicago faithful has been disappointed on two previous occasions when Messi did not play. The 37-year-old Messi has played three full matches since April 2.

“If they are feeling fine, they will play,” said Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano. “By feeling fine, I mean 100 percent physically and mentally. If any of them are not, they will rest, but our idea is to put the best out there.”

SEE ALSO | Lionel Messi draws large crowds to Soldier Field for soccer match between Argentina, Ecuador

Chicago has shown it can match offense with the MLS’ best this season as it averages two goals per game in league play — just like Miami.

The Fire expect attacking midfielder Brian Gutierrez to return from injury, which should add even more scoring punch as they seek their first win since March 22 against Western Conference-leading Vancouver. Hugo Cuypers leads the Fire with five goals this season.

Defense could be a problem for the Fire with Jack Elliott and Sam Rogers, two of their better back-line players, still recovering from injuries.

“Even with guys like Messi and (Luis) Suarez, it’s not trying to shut them down completely because you can see they’re too good,” Chicago coach Gregg Berhalter said recently. “And so for us, it’s about limiting the damage, and again, how do we hurt them when we have the ball?”

ESPN contributed to this report.

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