INTER MIAMI
Tata Martino on Messi’s debut: “I don’t want to rush into saying something I can’t do”
The Argentine coach was also coy when speaking about the possibility of Lionel Messi making his debut against Cruz Azul.
The eyes of the world are on Inter Miami and the possible debut of Lionel Messi next Friday which will open the Leagues Cup 2023 tournament. However, the actual reality of whether or not the Argentine will feature in the game is now being questioned, as he has only recently joined to the squad led by Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino.
David Beckham recently hinted that Messi may have a few minutes against Cruz Azul this Friday, although he left the final decision to the Argentine himself and ‘Tata’ Martino.
“I am not ruling out Leo’s debut, but...”
The coach from Rosario spoke this Wednesday in an interview with TyC Sports, where he was also questioned about Lionel Messi’s debut with the Inter Miami shirt, an event that the former coach of the Argentina and Mexico national teams did not guarantee.
“I am not ruling out Leo’s debut”, he said, “but I have to see him in more training sessions. I also have to see how he feels, both him and Busquets. They both arrived very well, we can expect to see them on Friday, but I don’t want to rush into saying something that I can’t do,” Martino explained to TyC Sports.
Messi “transformed” after World Cup win
On the other hand, the Inter Miami boss was asked about the differences between the more mature Lionel Messi to the one he managed in his time as head coach of Barcelona and the Argentina National Team:
“They are beautiful stages, they are all different. I find him with the same desire as always, but in another stage and much more relieved with everything that has happened with the Argentine National Team in recent years. It was a very big weight that he had on him and taking it off has transformed him on a day-to-day basis, ”he said.