Inter Miami is now focused on aiming for the MLS Cup in 2024, after being eliminated by the Columbus Crew in the round of 16 of the 2024 Leagues Cup. In addition, Inter Miami has had to contend with the loss of Lionel Messi, who has missed nearly 60% of his team’s games this season.
Despite this, the team remains in first place overall, and a Supporters Shield seems within reach. However, this would be a minor consolation for a team seeking their second major trophy in club history.
Martino was at a press conference where he was asked about the Leagues Cup and the type of team the Columbus Crew is. The Argentine coach offered high praise for Wilfried Nancy’s side.
Tata Martino on Columbus Crew
“Columbus is a team that comes from another league. They are not from MLS… They have the particularity of not having national team players but making a difference as if they had big stars, and that is a credit to the coach,” Martino told the media.
Columbus Crew forward Diego Rossi
The Crew actually have fringe national team players who have contributed significantly to the team, including Leagues Cup joint leading scorer, Uruguayan Diego Rossi. The former Peñarol player has scored 6 goals in the tournament and has been a major success since arriving in Columbus in the middle of last season.
Darlington Nagbe (a Tata favorite), Cucho Hernández, Yevhen Cheberko, Patrick Schulte, and DeJuan Jones make up a roster that includes players who have been capped by their national teams.
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The Crew are the current MLS Cup champions, and if they win the Leagues Cup, it will mark the club’s ninth major title since their launch in 1996.
