Lionel Messi will sit out Inter Miami's Major League Soccer game at the Houston Dynamo Sunday as the club look to manage his minutes.
A club spokesman confirmed to Agence France Presse that Messi did not travel to Houston Saturday but was not injured and was being rested.
Sunday's game was selected by the league for the new, stand alone "Sunday Night Soccer: broadcast on Apple TV, which MLS is hoping will grow fan interest in the league.
Miami have had a busy start to the season with their MLS opener last week coming in between the two legs of the first round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Messi started all those games, but the club have opted to sit the 37-year old for what would have been the fourth game in 12 days.
Miami are in CONCACAF action again Thursday when they host Jamaican club Cavalier in the first-leg of their two legged tie with Messi expected to start in that game.
Inter's busy schedule continues into March with their first eight games of the season coming in the span of 26 days.
Messi had trained Friday with the rest of his team-mates including 38-year old Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, who has made the trip to Houston.