The Red Bulls are in good form as they have yet to lose at the start of this MLS season (2 wins, 0 losses, 1 draw).
And one of the dates on the calendar that fans have circled is coming up.
The Red Bulls' next game will be against the Crew in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., but their next game at home is sure to garner even more attention.
On Saturday, March 23rd, the Red Bulls will host superstar Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.
Or at least it should be.
Here's what you need to know about Messi's current injury situation and whether one of the world's biggest soccer stars will visit the Garden State next weekend at Red Bull Arena.
What happened to Lionel Messi?
Messi scored his fifth goal of the game in a 3-1 win over Nashville SC on Thursday night.
However, the 36-year-old was substituted at the start of the second half after playing just five minutes.
This is the second consecutive game in which Messi has missed any action, having been left off for rest in last Sunday's 3-2 loss to CF Montreal.
Will Lionel Messi play against the Red Bulls?
Messi still has over a week to recover for the game against the Red Bulls, but head coach Gerardo Martino's post-game comments after the game against Nashville indicate that Messi may not play in the game against the Red Bulls in Miami. Due to the high nature of this issue, we cannot help but feel some concern. DC United on Saturday.
“Leo has a muscle overload in his right leg. We don't want to take any risks with him. We tried to see if he could hold out longer after half-time, but it was bothering him, so we didn't want to take any risks with him. I chose to take him out of the game,'' Martino said.
“We don't want to take any risks, but he won't be available for Saturday's game. That's all we can say about that right now. We'll take some tests soon and see how he feels.” . ”
It seems very possible that Messi will play in Harrison on March 23rd after a week of rest, but there is no guarantee that he will be ready to take the field.
When will Messi return to New Jersey next?
Even if Messi does not suit up for the game against the Red Bulls on March 23rd, fortunately fans won't have to wait too long to see one of soccer's biggest superstars play in New Jersey.
On June 25th, Messi will return to New Jersey to play for his native Argentina and take the field against Chile in the 2024 Copa America at MetLife Stadium.
If Argentina progress through the Copa America group stage, Messi and Argentina could face off again at MetLife, which will host one of the two Copa America semi-finals. The semifinal game at MetLife is July 9th.
How to get Messi and Inter Miami vs Red Bulls tickets
Even if news comes out later that Messi will actually be playing next weekend, now is the time to get your hands on one, as tickets are selling fast.
As of Thursday afternoon, prices for two-ticket tickets start at $74 (excl. tax) for section 217, row 18 at SeatGeek, and $79 (excl. tax) for section 202, row 14 at StubHub at Red Bull Arena. It has become.
Act now because tickets could disappear quickly and prices could skyrocket if it is announced that Messi will be playing in this match.