Inter Miami Coach Hoyos on Messi's Painful Absence

Inter Miami head coach Guillermo Hoyos says the dressing room has been left “in immense pain” as the squad struggles to process the devastating news surrounding Lionel Messi.

“Regarding Leo, we know what happened, and it is a huge shame, a source of great pain, and we have really felt that impact,” Hoyos said, speaking to ESPN.

The Argentine coach cut a solemn figure as he described a group trying to work through something that football cannot fix.

“It has been very hard. Often, there are no words for it. When you go through such a difficult experience, it is hard to recover, yet it is something we all face. In a way, we never truly learn from it because the pain is so intense.”

Hoyos refused to put any timeline on Messi’s return to the squad, making it clear the club will not rush their captain back onto the pitch. The priority, he stressed, is giving the legendary forward all the space and time he needs to grieve properly.

While Messi steps away to deal with events far bigger than the game, Inter Miami must somehow refocus. The calendar does not slow down. On Wednesday, they face Club Leon in a group-stage clash in the 2026 Leagues Cup, a match that now arrives against a backdrop of emotion, absence, and a team trying to steady itself without its brightest star.