Argentine star Lionel Messi‘s absence was strongly felt last night. Inter Miami was eliminated from the Leagues Cup following a defeat to Columbus Crew, and one of their key players expressed regret over Messi’s absence, suggesting that the final result might have been different.
The reigning champions of the tournament were surprisingly eliminated much earlier than expected. The team, managed by Gerardo Martino, boasted a high number of top-tier players, leading many to believe that defending their title was a real possibility.
However, along the way, Inter Miami faced a solid team like Columbus Crew, which, with just over 20 minutes remaining in the match, turned the game around and advanced to the next round in a decisive manner.
Once the match ended, many wondered what might have happened if the main star of the Herons, Argentine Lionel Messi, had been fully fit and played in such a crucial game.
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF looks on during the second half of the Leagues Cup 2023 match between Cruz Azul and Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium on July 21, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
After the match concluded and Inter’s elimination was confirmed, one of their key figures and leaders expressed regret over the absence of Argentine star Lionel Messi and provided a general assessment of what transpired during the game.
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The regret over the absence of the number 10
Following Martino’s team’s elimination at the hands of Columbus Crew, some Inter Miami players spoke with the press and shared their feelings about the match.
Taking charge of the situation and specifically addressing Messi’s absence was none other than Sergio Busquets, the World Cup-winning midfielder from the Spain national team: “We know the difference that Leo makes, I wish we could have had him with us. But football has this: injuries, setbacks. It’s very important for us and it was a shame not to be able to enjoy it because I’m sure everything would have been different and we would have had a much better chance.”
Sergio Busquets of Inter Miami in action during the preseason friendly match between Vissel Kobe and Inter Miami at National Stadium on February 07, 2024 in Tokyo, Japan.
Busquets and his feelings about the match
After the elimination, the Spanish midfielder talked to the press and reviewed the match and highlighted where the key moments lay: “We had a very good first half, we went into the break with a positive result. From then on they brought on more offensive players. We knew they were going to attack, that they were going to try to score goals, but that we were also going to have our chances, especially on the counterattack.”
“And I think that’s what happened: the result was decided by that because they were more accurate in front of goal. We had many counterattacks in which we lacked that final pass, that final finish that didn’t come. It’s a shame, we wanted to continue in the tournament, and we fought until the end.”, he also stated.
The next fixture for Inter Miami
Following their elimination from the Leagues Cup, Gerardo Martino’s team will face Cincinnati this Saturday in an MLS match, which will be held at Chase Stadium.
