Tata Martino confirms that Messi won’t play every game

Everything has been rosy for Inter Miami since Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba came on board. Without any doubt, they were the game changers in the best transfer window any team in Major League has ever had. Their impact has been immediate, and they have already helped to deliver the first title in the franchise’s history and with a real possibility of lifting another one, the US Open Cup, next month. For now, the objective is to get the team back on course in MLS. This weekend’s win against the New York Red Bulls has lifted the team off the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

For the team’s return to the league, Martino decided to start the match with Messi and Busquets on the bench - out of his trio of star signings, only Jordi Alba started.

The Argentine star replaced Campana on 60 minutes and on 88 minutes, made it 0-2. It was the perfect way to make his MLS debut - even if he did come off the bench.

It’s evident that the workload for the new No.10 and team captain has taken its toll, but also important to remember that he didn’t have a pre-season. Martino had mentioned before the game that Messi cannot be expected to start and finish every game but added that it will be up to the player to decide when to rest.

In his post-match press conference, the coach explained by Leo was kept on the bench until the second half: “It’s something that we are going to have to get used to. He is going to miss at least three games between now and the end of the season. He’s going to be called up by his national team but we have to keep winning,” the coach told reporters.

So it’s clear that Inter Miami will have to find other ways to maintain the impetus that Messi has given them during his first few weeks with the team. His influence hopefully should be enough for the team to up their game and play better than they had been doing before his arrival, in which they were incapable of leaving the bottom places of the Eastern Conference.