Lionel Messi will have another chance to lift silverware when Inter Miami host the Vancouver Whitecaps in Saturday’s MLS Cup final at Chase Stadium. But with less than 48 hours before kickoff, the Herons may be dealing with a key squad concern after Tadeo Allende was absent from Thursday’s training session.
Inter Miami are already shifting into full preparation mode with only Friday’s session remaining before the final. Still, alarms were raised when the Argentine forward was nowhere to be seen, an absence that could prove significant in a matchup where every detail matters.
Speaking after Thursday’s training session, head coach Javier Mascherano addressed Allende’s status and eased concerns over the situation. “Tadeo showed a slight fever today, so we preferred that he didn’t train with the game so close,” the Argentine coach explained.
Allende had shown no signs of discomfort after the Eastern Conference final win over New York City FC, celebrating alongside teammates, which made the sudden absence even more notable. Mascherano, however, remained optimistic heading into Saturday. “It’s nothing serious, so he will obviously be part of the starting team. He’ll most likely train with the team tomorrow,” he added.
Tadeo Allende #21 of Inter Miami CF celebrates with the 2025 MLS Cup eastern conference trophy.
Messi, Luis Suárez, Rodrigo De Paul and the rest of Inter Miami’s stars all completed Thursday’s session as the team ramps up preparations for what will be the final career match for Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, as well as the farewell for several departing players. Allende’s future also remains uncertain amid interest from multiple clubs, but he is expected to be a central figure against Vancouver in Fort Lauderdale.
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Tadeo Allende, irreplaceable in Inter Miami’s final stretch
While Lionel Messi has undoubtedly been Inter Miami’s standout figure in 2025, with a season placing him firmly in the MLS MVP conversation, Tadeo Allende has outshined his goalscoring record in the postseason and become an indispensable part of the squad’s late surge.
Across the regular season, Allende appeared in 48 matches, scoring 15 goals and adding one assist. But it’s in the 2025 playoffs where he has exploded, scoring eight goals in five games, including a hat-trick against NYCFC, to tie Carlos Ruiz for the most goals in a single MLS postseason.
Messi, meanwhile, has contributed six goals and five assists during the playoffs. Combined, the Argentine duo have scored 14 of Inter Miami’s 17 postseason goals, an astonishing 82%, highlighting how crucial their availability will be for the Herons on Saturday.