Following their painful exit in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals, Inter Miami must now refocus on the 2025 season. With Major League Soccer becoming a top priority, head coach Javier Mascherano addressed the possibility of a new role for Lionel Messi ahead of Saturday’s match against Minnesota.
On Friday, Mascherano spoke at a press conference where he revealed that Luis Suarez had to miss training to return to Uruguay. “Luis had to travel for personal reasons,” the coach explained, according to Ole. While he didn’t confirm whether the former Liverpool and Barcelona star will miss the game, his comments suggested that might be the case, as he quickly shifted focus to potential replacements at the center-forward position.
“If there’s something we’ve shown this season, it’s creativity. So we’ll see, we have something in mind, but we’ve got options,” Javier began. “We can play Tadeo Allende as a striker. We’ve also tested Fafa (Picault) there a few times.”
When asked about the possibility of Lionel Messi filling that role, Mascherano didn’t rule it out: “Leo is another of the possibilities. He’s played in that position at times this season when Luis was out.”
Javier Mascherano, Head Coach of Inter Miami CF.
How is Messi doing?
Javier Mascherano was also asked how Lionel Messi has been doing in the days following the home loss to Vancouver Whitecaps at Chase Stadium, which sealed Inter Miami’s elimination from the Concacaf Champions Cup.
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“Leo is doing well,” said the head coach, although he didn’t deny that the Argentine forward was frustrated by the result. “He’s a competitive animal, it’s normal. Those of us who have known him for a long time know how demanding he is—not just with himself, but with everything around him. But yes, he’s fine.”
Mascherano reflects on the importance of Suarez
Given the current situation surrounding Luis Suarez, Mascherano made clear just how important the Uruguayan striker is to Inter Miami. “Suarez is a player with enormous experience and a long track record… a world-class player,” the coach said.
Still, Luis has faced criticism in recent weeks for his lack of goals this season, a drought he ended in the last match against New York Red Bulls. “Even when he hasn’t scored, I’ve always valued what Luis brings defensively, how much he helps when we’re in possession, and how he organizes our first line of pressure with his understanding of the game,” Javier added.
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