One of many conditions that raised questions at Inter Miami was the absence of star Lionel Messi from the squad listing for the MLS match towards FC Dallas. With the second leg towards the Vancouver Whitecaps on the horizon, head coach Javier Mascherano addressed Messi’s standing for Wednesday’s essential sport.
Inter Miami suffered their first defeat of the 2025 MLS season in an exhilarating 4-3 loss to Dallas at Chase Stadium, with a number of key gamers lacking from the roster. Within the post-match press convention, Mascherano was requested about Messi’s health and supplied an optimistic replace.
“Leo is doing effectively. Clearly, we determined — identical to with different teammates — to relaxation him after a sport just like the one towards Vancouver, performed on artificial turf, and a six- or seven-hour round-trip flight,” Mascherano defined, providing refined perception into Messi’s absence.
“Right this moment he educated, and he educated effectively, so he’ll be prepared,” Mascherano added, referring to Sunday’s coaching session. Messi was seen within the stands alongside his household and Luis Suarez — who was additionally held out of the sport — displaying their help for the staff.
Inter Miami misplaced their unbeaten report in MLS, with Mascherano taking accountability for the loss after a collection of second-half substitutions. Now, with all the staff’s stars anticipated to be obtainable, the coach is concentrated on orchestrating one other comeback — this time towards the Vancouver Whitecaps.
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Inter Miami are making their first-ever look within the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals, however their path to the ultimate suffered a serious setback after the Whitecaps earned a 2-0 win at BC Place final Thursday. Regardless of the difficult state of affairs, Mascherano stays assured about overturning the deficit.
“We’re trailing on the scoreboard, and on Wednesday we’ve got to return in with the idea that we are able to come again — understanding there’s nothing to lose, solely the whole lot to achieve,” Mascherano said. “From the primary minute, we have to take the sport to Vancouver by means of our play, as a result of with out enjoying effectively, it’s very arduous to overturn a outcome like this,” he added.
The coach emphasised the significance of staying composed and sticking to their enjoying model: “We have to depend on our sport, attempt to dominate, concentrate on what we are able to do, and focus on scoring the primary objective — after which let the remaining occur. However not with the mindset of dashing for the second or third objective with out getting the primary. If we keep true to ourselves, we’ll have a variety of possibilities.”
Inter Miami already pulled off a comeback within the Champions Cup quarterfinals towards Los Angeles FC. The Herons discover themselves trailing once more, however with Lionel Messi and the opposite stars absolutely rested, Mascherano believes one other comeback is effectively inside attain.
