The reason why Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul missed Inter Miami’s 0-0 draw against Charlotte on Saturday, March 14 has been revealed. As reported by journalist Jose Armando, the coaching staff decided to give the duo much-needed rest.
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In Messi and De Paul’s absence, Luis Suarez captained the Herons to a 0-0 draw at the Bank of America Stadium. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner played for Inter Miami on Wednesday, March 11, against Nashville SC in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16.
Inter Miami could only manage a 0-0 draw against Nashville SC in the first leg and will play the return leg next Wednesday. The coaching staff decided to rest Lionel Messi entirely to keep him fresh for the next Concacaf Champions Cup encounter.
After the draw against Charlotte, Miami assistant coach Javier Morales told reporters, as per ESPN:
“These are decisions we have to make as a coaching staff. We’ve been playing a lot of games lately — Wednesdays, Saturdays — and we have a very important home game coming up, so Javier and the coaching staff thought it was the best decision. It was a collective decision.”
Lionel Messi is now 38 years of age, and his legs need to be protected, especially with the FIFA World Cup taking place in the summer. The Argentine superstar has scored three goals in four games across competitions this season.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami eyeing up a move for Bernardo Silva: Reports
Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami are reportedly eyeing a sensational move for Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva. However, they face competition from European giants Juventus and Galatasaray.
Silva has been instrumental behind Manchester City’s success over the years since his move to the Etihad in 2017 from AS Moanco. He has made 447 appearances for the Cityzens scoring 76 times while providing 77 assists.
During his time at the blue half of Manchester City, Silva has won 17 trophies including six Premier League titles. The Portugal international’s contract expires at the end of the season and he has been linked with a host of clubs.
Silva joining Inter Miami would be a huge boost for the Herons who are heavily reliant on Lionel Messi. At only 31, Silva still has plenty of football left at the highest level and would take the MLS side to the next level.
Edited by Snehanjan Banerjee