INTER MIAMI
Messi makes bold claim about Inter Miami’s title hopes
The Inter Miami captain spoke after his long-awaited return to the pitch after recovering from an injury.
After his extraordinary performance in the Inter Miami vs. Philadelphia Union match at Chase Stadium, which marked his return to the field following a major ankle injury, Lionel Messi spoke to Apple TV and shared his thoughts on being back in action for Major League Soccer 2024.
In an interview with Eduardo Biscayart, the number 10, who is now closing in on top spot as Inter Miami’s record goalscorer, admitted that he was “a little tired” after the game: “The heat and humidity in Miami don’t help much either. But I was really eager to return, having been away from the field for a long time. Little by little, I started training with the group, felt good, and that’s why we decided I would start. I’m very happy, really happy.”
‘We can finish at the top’
As for Inter Miami’s aspirations and their strong campaign so far, Messi stated: “As we said at the beginning, we know the squad we have, and the title is our goal. We’re realistic and take responsibility for it. Unfortunately, we’ve had a lot of bad luck with injuries this year and were never at full strength for one reason or another. We were always missing players.”
He added, “The team always managed to push through. Today, we’re in first place with a significant lead over FC Cincinnati, and hopefully, we can finish at the top -for what it means to win the Supporters’ Shield and for what comes next with the fight for the MLS Cup.”
The 37-year-old legend, in his return to MLS, set a record by becoming the fastest player in the league to reach 15 goals and 15 assists, needing just 19 games to do so. Despite missing two months due to an injury sustained in the 2024 Copa América final, Messi returned in style and put Inter Miami on 62 points in the Eastern Conference standings.
Now, Messi will focus on maintaining his physical condition to stay in peak form for the MLS Cup 2024 Playoffs: given their remarkable consistency this season despite numerous injuries and national team call-ups, Tata Martino’s side remain favourites. Inter Miami’s next match is an away fixture against Atlanta United on Wednesday, September 18, which you can follow on AS USA.