CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte FC's postseason hopes come down to the results of the season's final two matches, which coincidentally will both come against Inter Miami CF.
Miami will not have international superstar Lionel Messi during Wednesday's home match but Messi does plan to play for the team on Saturday in Charlotte. Messi played in the Argentina National Football Team's 2-0 win over Peru on Tuesday, scoring both goals. The tight window between the matches prevents Messi from playing on Wednesday.
"I will train, I will play our upcoming match [against Charlotte FC] and I will try to get here [to the national team] in the best possible way for November," Messi said through a translator in an interview with ESPN.
Charlotte sits 12th in the Eastern Conference standings with 39 points, a mere one point behind D.C. United, who sit ninth with the final playoff spot. Charlotte and Miami are the only two teams in the conference with two games remaining.
Miami was eliminated from postseason contention after a 1-0 loss to conference-leading FC Cincinnati on Oct. 7.
The soccer world exploded when Messi announced he was coming to MLS to play for Miami in June. Ticket prices sharply increased and global interest engulfed MLS after what is likely the biggest signing in the league's history. Miami was last in the Eastern Conference standings before Messi's arrival and then proceeded to win the Leagues Cup when he joined the team.
In the five MLS competition matches Messi has played, Miami has gone 3-1-1. When Charlotte FC faced Miami in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals, Messi scored once as Miami won 4-0.
Charlotte FC is hoping the results are different for their final two matches with Miami. The team is hoping to make its first postseason appearance in just its second season. If Charlotte makes it to the playoffs, it will be the first postseason appearance for a team in the Queen City since the Carolina Panthers made the playoffs in 2017 - the Charlotte Hornets' last playoff appearance was in 2016.