Mascherano makes something clear to Messi, former Barcelona teammates on Inter Miami

Inter Miami are preparing for a new era with Javier Mascherano as coach. The Argentine is the latest former Barcelona player to join the team, following in the footsteps of Lionel Messi. However, as a coach, Mascherano has sent a message to his former teammates.

“Not only do I have a relationship with Leo, I have another three players in this roster that I played with for a long time. I have a relationship, a very close relationship, with them, and I’m not going to deny that,” he said, per an interview published in the club’s website.

“I’m not going to come into the locker room saying that I have friendship. In the [2024] Olympics, I had to coach [Nicolás] Otamendi, who was a friend of mine. And there’s no problem. You separate things. One thing is work, one thing is friendship,” he assured.

Mascherano is stepping into a high-pressure role. With the team coming off a historic season under Tata Martino, in which Inter Miami broke the record for most-points in a single season and claimed the Supporters’ Shield, the new coach must find a way to build on that success and guide the team even further.

Javier Mascherano speaks with the press as new Inter Miami coach (IMAGO / Newscom World)

The Argentine will count on Messi, who is reportedly eyeing to renew his contract with Inter Miami, as well as Luis Suarez, who recently agreed to stay with the team for another year, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquests.

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Mascherano responds to complaints on his ‘limited experience’

While Mascherano has experience coaching Argentina’s youth teams, many have claimed that he lacks the experience to lead Miami. Indeed, his former Barcelona teammates are not the only ones whom Mascherano knows pretty well. The Argentinian has also coach Tomas Aviles, Facundo Farias, Federico Redondo, and Benjamin Cremaschi in the country’s youth national teams.

“People in the world can have their opinion and it is valid, clearly, but I am convinced that I am capable of coaching the team. I am very excited to be able to do it,” he said. “I can do it. I have no doubt.”

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He added, “Sometimes in football [talk of] ‘experience’ doesn’t make much sense. Beyond the fact that I have been coaching for three years, coaching the youth teams of the Argentine national team, [where] I have always been under pressure … I am also supported by a playing career of almost 20 years and everything I’ve experienced.”