On Wednesday afternoon, Lionel Messi and the Argentina National Football Team left South Florida, heading to Venezuela for a match while also trying to avoid the impending Hurricane Milton.

The Argentine squad practiced at Messi’s Major League Soccer team, Inter Miami, in Fort Lauderdale this week in preparation for two World Cup qualifiers. These arrangements were made in response to Venezuelan travel restrictions and the looming threat of a Category 4 storm set to hit late Wednesday or early Thursday.

Due to restrictions, the team cannot fly directly from Argentina or the United States to Venezuela. As a result, they departed from Miami and will have a stopover in Barranquilla, Colombia before reaching Maturín, Venezuela.

Argentina is scheduled to play against Venezuela on Thursday at 5 p.m. ET at Monumental Stadium in Maturín. Their second match will occur in Argentina against Bolivia on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.

Earlier this year, Argentina also practiced at Inter Miami’s facility before competing in the Copa America, and before winning the World Cup title in September 2022. Coach Lionel Scaloni stated that he was worried about how Hurricane Milton could disrupt their travel plans, expressing a desire to leave two days before the match instead of just one.

“It will be a challenge for us. We will arrive only a day before the game. We have to stop because direct flights from the U.S. to Venezuela are not allowed,” Scaloni mentioned to reporters during a press conference on Tuesday. “We have faced unfortunate circumstances. The safety of the players and everyone involved is what matters most.”

Messi is anticipated to be part of the starting lineup against Venezuela. This match will mark his first time playing with the national team since he sustained a right ankle injury during the Copa America final against Colombia on July 14. He missed two qualifiers against Chile and Colombia last month but returned to play for Inter Miami on September 14.

Since his return from injury, Messi has played five matches, scoring four goals and helping Inter Miami win the MLS Supporters’ Shield. This award adds to Messi’s impressive total of 46 titles across his club and international career.

“Messi is doing well. He has played several matches with his club in recent weeks, as we had previously agreed he should recover and gain playing time,” Scaloni stated. “Leo is training with us and is ready to compete against Venezuela, a strong opponent.”

Argentina secured a 3-0 victory against Chile on September 6 but faced a 2-1 defeat against Colombia on September 10, a rematch of the Copa America final. This marked only the fourth loss for Argentina in their last 65 matches, with previous losses occurring against Brazil in the 2019 Copa America semifinal, Saudi Arabia during the 2022 World Cup opener, and Uruguay in a World Cup qualifier last November.

Currently, Argentina leads the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying standings in South America with 18 points.

After this international stint, Messi will return to South Florida for Inter Miami’s regular-season ending match on October 19. The playoffs for the MLS Cup will start on October 25.