INTER MIAMI
CONCACAF Champions Cup, key priority for Inter Miami affirms Martino
The CONCACAF tournament will be “the most complex” that the Herons will compete in this season maintains Inter Miami boss Gerardo Martino.
Inter Miami will end their globe trotting preseason at home to Argentine side Newell’s Old Boys as thoughts slowly turn to the impending 2024 MLS season which gets underway next week as the Florida outfit face Real Salt Lake in the opener on 21 February.
After facing Salt Lake, LA Galaxy and Orlando City as part of the opening phase to the league campaign, the Herons will then turn their focus to the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Miami get a bye through to the Round of 16 by virtue of their 2023 Leagues Cup win and will take on the winner of the clash between Dominican Republic side Moca or Nashville SC, with the first leg scheduled for 7 March.
CONCACAF priority
Speaking ahead of the Newell’s game, Inter Miami head coach Martino confirmed that progressing in the Concachampions is extremely important and a great challenge for the club, since there is limited margin for error.
“The Concachampions is a great challenge and is possibly the most important tournament we will play in. It is also a different tournament from the league, because the league is so long that it allows you to make the odd mistake, the short tournaments and head-to-head matches allow you few or almost no errors”, commented the Argentine coach speaking to the media.
The competition is intense as the tournament progresses and apart from MLS opposition, the creme-de-la-creme of Mexican football lie in waiting with the likes of Tigres UANL, Club America, Chivas and Monterrey all looking to be crowned regional champions and by doing so cement a place in the 2025 expanded FIFA Club World Cup.