How much does Inter Miami depend on Messi? Stats and numbers

Defeat to Houston Dynamo in the US Open Cup final was a tough blow for Inter Miami. After lifting the Leagues Cup just under a month ago, Gerardo Martino’s team were confident that they could win the second title in the club’s history, but ended up losing 1-2 in front of a home crowd. Now, the objective is to fight to reach the playoffs with the dream of winning the MLS Cup still alive.

Apart from the pain of losing a final at home, there is concern at Inter Miami at how much the team has come to rely on star summer signing Lionel Messi. The Argentinean has not been able to train with the squad for several days and has missed three of the last four league games - on top of the most important game of all during this month - last night’s final.

Wednesday’s US Open Cup disappointment highlights how Inter Miami has started to become a ‘Messi dependent’ team. The team’s figures when they have been without the Argentine ace are completely indifferent to when the world champion is on the field.

So let’s take a look at how Inter Miami have fared when Messi has played, compared to when he has been absent. The difference is eye-opening...

Inter Miami collapse without Messi

Since making his debut against Cruz Azul on 22 July, Messi has missed a total of four games with Inter Miami. The worrying part of that for his team is that out of those four games, the team only won one - two were defeats and one a draw, leaving a win rate of 33% when the Argentine star is not on the field of play.

Similarly, Miami’s scoring productivity decreases drastically - without Messi, they register seven goals for and 10 against, further highlighting the importance of their captain.

The numbers with Messi

When Messi is out on the pitch, it’s completely different. In the 12 games that the Argentine has played a part in, the team has recorded eight wins, four draws and zero defeats - an effectiveness of 77%.

And in terms of goals scored and conceded, there is also a big difference: in those 12 games, Inter Miami registered 34 goals for and 12 goals against - a goal difference of +22 - excellent numbers which underline just how much they depend on their talisman.