Inter Miami will be without Sergio Reguilon, Gonzalo Lujan and Micael for their clash against Atlanta United, though Lionel Messi is expected to remain available. Inter Miami will be without three regulars for their upcoming MLS clash against Atlanta United, with Lionel Messi still expected to be available for the match. According to journalist José Armando, Sergio Reguilon, Gonzalo Lujan and Micael are confirmed absences, all sidelined by lower-body issues that have limited the club’s options at the back in recent weeks. The trio’s absence adds to an already stretched defensive group, forcing interim head coach Guillermo Hoyos to dig into his squad depth to fill the gaps. Hoyos remains in charge of the team on a provisional basis while incoming coach Cristian “Kily” Gonzalez completes the work-permit process required to officially take over. Reguilon, signed as a marquee arrival to shore up the left flank, and Lujan, who had recently broken into the starting lineup, both picked up their injuries during Miami’s game against Toronto, while Micael has already been sidelined for a longer stretch. The timing is far from ideal for Miami, who are chasing points late in the season with the playoff picture still taking shape. Losing three defenders at once strips Hoyos of several established options just as the club looks to close out the year on solid footing, even with Messi still available to lead the attack. One more sleep until Matchday. ⏳ #MIAvATL🔗 https://t.co/IP7chTOHkg pic.twitter.com/DyGFa7w1rj— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) September 4, 2026 Atlanta United, for their part, arrive at the match looking to make the most of a shorthanded Miami side, with the hosts under pressure to convert this stretch of games into meaningful points before the regular season winds down. Abadia emerges as an option at left-back With Reguilon out, Cesar Abadia is being considered as one of the options to fill in at left-back. The 20-year-old is a product of Inter Miami’s own academy, having signed as a Homegrown Player after coming through the club’s youth setup, and made his first-team debut earlier this year during a short-term loan spell from Inter Miami II. Abadia has made just a handful of senior appearances so far, but his emergence as a fill-in option reflects how thin Miami’s fullback options have become, and a start against Atlanta would mark one of the biggest opportunities of his young career.
AFA will reveal Argentina's first post-Messi friendly schedule Monday, though Lionel Scaloni's future beyond December remains uncertain. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirmed via social media that it will reveal the matches, venues and dates for Argentina’s upcoming friendlies on Monday, marking the national team’s first announcement since Lionel Messi‘s retirement from international duty. While official confirmation is still pending, the plan is for all three friendlies to be played in Argentina during the FIFA window running from September 20 to October 6, giving fans a chance to reconnect with the team after the World Cup final loss to Spain. The matches are expected to be held in Buenos Aires, likely at El Monumental, along with stops in Rosario and either Cordoba or Santiago del Estero. The AFA is also reportedly hoping to convince Messi to attend at least one of the matches, whether as a player in a farewell game or as a special guest. Argentina also won’t be able to call on several players and staff members currently serving FIFA suspensions stemming from incidents after the World Cup final against Spain: Leandro Paredes faces the longest ban at 10 matches, followed by Nahuel Molina (7), assistant coach Roberto Ayala (3), and Thiago Almada (1). #SelecciónMayor El próximo lunes, la @afa, dará a conocer los partidos amistosos que disputará el equipo Lionel Scaloni en la fecha FIFA de septiembre/octubre. pic.twitter.com/eGuCG9Lvth— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) September 4, 2026 While FIFA had approved a request allowing those sanctions to be served in friendlies rather than exclusively in official competitions, that relief comes with a catch — if the matches are played on Argentine soil, FIFA reportedly wouldn’t classify them as Class A friendlies, meaning none of those serving bans would be able to start clearing their suspensions, or even complete them, through these games. Scaloni’s future remains uncertain Beyond the matches themselves, the window arrives amid growing uncertainty over Scaloni’s own future. Asked whether the World Cup final carried the feel of a farewell despite his wish to continue, the coach didn’t rule out an exit. “I have a contract until December and after that I’ll probably step away, contrary to what you’d think. I still have to talk with the president about it. This job is a dream, but it demands a lot of time, there’s a lot to do. We’ll see, I’ll be here until December,” Scaloni said, putting his continuation beyond the end of the year seriously in doubt. AFA president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia pushed back on that uncertainty in an interview with TyC Sports, making clear the federation has no interest in looking beyond its current coach. “I don’t have a Plan B. My Plan A, my Plan B and my Plan C is Scaloni,” Tapia said. Whether that support is enough to convince Scaloni to extend his stay should become clear by the end of the year, once his contract officially expires.
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