Tata Martino praises Suárez and gives an update on Messi after Chicago win

Inter Miami notched their fourth consecutive win, beating the Chicago Fire 1-4 in Saturday’s Week 30 fixture. The result keeps the Herons eight points clear at the top of the Eastern Conference with seven regular season games to play.

In his post-match press conference, Tata Martino explained that on the whole, his team controlled most of the game and also took the opportunity to praise Luis Suárez, who scored a brace for the second week running to bring up his 14th goal in MLS this season. The Argentine coach gave an update on Lionel Messi.

“As far as the game was concerned, apart from the first seven minutes and up until the first goal, we didn’t have control of the game. After that, we were in command and I think with 10-12 minutes to go, that’s how it was. We dropped back a bit late on but the substitutes did well and we were able to kill the game off with Robert’s goal,” the coach began.

“Luis [Suárez] was probably the best player on the pitch, but I don’t want to focus too much on the goals, because he always scores goals,” Martino continued. “I’d prefer to focus more on the game and everything he gives us so that the team can move the ball around - what he does off the ball so that the team can make passes. Through him, we can start playing in other parts of the pitch. So, he did really well”

Apart from the goals that he has scored himself, the Uruguayan striker has played a part in eight of the Fort Lauderdale franchise’s goals in all competitions this season.

Tata Martino gives update on when Messi could return

As for Messi’s fitness and possible return, Martino replied: “Leo’s fine, he’s had plenty of time training with the group. We felt that, regrading this game, for what he could give us, it would be better to use this possibility of a 15-day break. We discussed it and in the end we reached the conclusion that the second option was better. With any luck, we might be able to have Leo available for the game against Philadelphia”.

The good news for Martino is that Messi will have an extra couple of weeks to focus on his return due to this month’s international break. Argentina have 2026 World Cup qualifiers lined up against Chile and Colombia but Messi hasn’t been called.

Another absentee against Chicago was Matías Rojas, who is recovering from an ankle injury. Martino said of the Paraguayan: “He suffered a sprain, we will see how he recovers, we will see the FIFA date and if he is available in the short term”. Rojas was not called up by Gustavo Alfaro in his preliminary list for the Albirrojas’ qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil.

Martino praises team effort

Regarding the extraordinary work they have been doing so far in the MLS 2024 campaign, where they are frontrunners for the Supporters’ Shield, Tata said: “These are statistics that serve the club and to position itself in another place, to have the possibility of achieving certain objectives that do not mean stars, but rather serve to establish and place Inter in a different place.”

On having the chance to be the coach of the year in the North American league, Martino was very clear: “At this point I would give the award to the Columbus Crew coach (Wilfried Nancy), I wouldn’t even wait until the end of the season.”

The Inter Miami coach noted that Nancy has guided his team to three finals in less than 12 months and won two titles: the 2023 MLS Cup and 2024 Leagues Cup.