“No Messi, no party” is what the Vancouver Whitecaps are feeling after Inter Miami announced that Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Sergio Busquets will miss the game against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday at BC Place. The club has sold a record-setting 55,000 tickets and is offering discounts and free food for kids to atone for the absence.
The Canadian club is well aware that many fans attending the game were strictly going to see Messi. The Whitecaps usually draw between 16,000 and 17,000 per game.
During a press conference before the match, Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino answered questions regarding the absence of his team’s biggest stars for this game.
Tata Martino on Missing Inter Miami Trio
“We trained yesterday. When we finished, I conferred with the coaching staff and talked with the players, and at that moment we decided that they would not form part of the team,” Martino said on Friday.
“We understand the people’s frustration, especially in wanting to see these players, but it is our job as the coaching staff to make these decisions that are uncomfortable. We understand what these players provoke in the league and other markets, but we have to take these measures that are sometimes unpleasant for people. But they are beneficial for the players,” Martino stated.
“We can’t announce with 20 days’ notice what our movements will be. We analyzed the situation on Thursday because we have three games in a week, but sometimes unfortunate things happen that don’t allow for players to participate in a certain match.”
Inter Miami is in first place in the overall standings of Major League Soccer, but they have had difficulty winning matches when Messi has not played. Martino is resting his stars because the club will play two home games next week.