Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano confirmed Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul are in perfect condition for Wednesday's Concacaf Champions Cup second leg against Nashville SC. The two stars skipped the team's trip to Charlotte FC over the weekend, with Mascherano revealing it was a collective decision to rest them for the crucial knockout match.

"We felt we had too many trips planned," Mascherano explained, noting the artificial turf field in Charlotte was a consideration. The skipper also confirmed defender Maximiliano Falcón remains sidelined with a knee injury from the first leg that finished scoreless. The only absence for the upcoming match, Falcón's injury leaves Inter Miami with a near-full squad for the pivotal encounter.

Mascherano addressed his red card following the Charlotte match, admitting he was "rightfully sent off" after receiving two yellow cards. The former Argentine midfielder acknowledged his passion sometimes leads to mistakes but emphasized learning from errors. Inter Miami hosts Nashville with a quarterfinal spot against Philadelphia Union or Club América on the line.