Before the start of the new MLS season, Tata Martino delivers a “important message” to Lionel Messi’s supporters.
In order to prevent injuries, the Inter Miami manager has stated that he will periodically bench top players, including Lionel Messi, during the upcoming Major League Soccer season. The Argentine had a great start to the previous season, but as things went on, he began to struggle with injuries and was forced to miss a number of games as the season came to a conclusion.
“We have a responsibility to make sure the fans feel well represented on the field when our big stars aren’t playing,” the former Barcelona coach stated in an interview with the Miami Herald. It’s a crucial message to convey to the supporters that even though Leo, [Busquets], and Jordi won’t be playing for various reasons, our team will still be fiercely competitive.
“Our team needs to be fit and competitive for the duration of the season, but our best players are generally on the field. The question of whether we were selling more or fewer tickets last season—people wanting to know who was playing—was challenging. Though we can’t worry about ticket sales, I would really like for them to play every game. They’ll participate in most of the games if they’re well.”The 36-year-old participated in 14 games in all competitions during his first season in America, tallying five assists and 11 goals. He has reconnected with Luis Suarez, his former Barcelona teammate who signed with the squad as a free agent, ahead of the 2024 campaign. The Herons’ preseason workouts have begun, and they take against Real Salt Lake on February 22 to kick off the season. The team will play a number of friendlies before the new season begins, starting on February 1 when they take on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in the Riyadh Cup.