Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez start on the bench for Inter Miami in Atlanta

Lionel Messi was not in the starting line-up for Wednesday evening’s match between Inter Miami and Atlanta United.

With the Herons playing their second of three games in a week, Messi started the match on the bench. Coach Gerardo Martino had said he did not want to overwork his star player, who is returning from injury at the club in the middle of a busy period.

Two other key Miami players, Luis Suárez and Jordi Alba, were also on the list to make a substitution at the match that was expected to draw a large crowd to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, mainly to see Messi play.

Last year he didn’t play when Inter Miami visited Atlanta, disappointing a crowd of 71,635. But this time he was in the stadium, allowing him to potentially appear in the second half.

The 37-year-old Messi made a mesmerizing return to the Miami squad after a long absence on Saturday, scoring two goals and assisting the third in a 3-1 win over Philadelphia Union.

Miami has the best record in Major League Soccer and is looking to secure home-field advantage in the play-offs.

The Argentine star and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has not played for Inter Miami since June 1 due to commitments with the national team and a right ankle injury sustained during the 1-0 win over Colombia in the Copa America final on July 14.

“A little tired from the heat and humidity in Miami, but I wanted to come back after such a long time away,” Messi said in Spanish after the match. “I started training with the group and started to feel better.”

Messi scored twice in the space of four minutes midway through the first half to cancel out an early Philadelphia goal.

Suárez provided the assist for one of Messi’s goals and gave Messi the victory with a strike in second-half injury time.

It was Suárez’s 17th goal of the season.

Messi entered the league on Wednesday with 14 goals and 14 assists despite playing just 13 games.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.