With the MLS playoffs on the horizon, Inter Miami CF welcomed Lionel Messi back to the pitch on Saturday night. And it didn’t take long for him to show the league what it had been missing.
Messi scored two goals and assisted on another, as Inter Miami cruised to a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union in front of 20,915 fans at sold-out Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
“Honestly, [I’m] a bit tired,” a relieved Messi said after the win at a rare media availability for the international superstar. “The humidity and heat in Miami don’t help much either, but I was really eager to come back after a long time off the field. Little by little, I started training with the team, felt good, and that’s why we decided I would start. Very happy, very pleased.”
Inter Miami had gone without the services of Messi since June 1, while he tended to his international commitments. He also needed time to recover from the right ankle injury he sustained during the July Copa America final.
“What he always has us accustomed [to], right,” midfielder Federico Redondo told reporters, after being asked to illustrate what he saw from Messi against Philadelphia. “On the field, he always makes the best decisions and makes everything easier.”
Inter Miami secured a postseason berth weeks ago, has the best record in the MLS at 19-4-5, and went 8-2 without Messi. So, all has been well in Fort Lauderdale this season, regardless. But during Saturday’s victory, the completeness he brings to the roster was felt.
“It was a challenge for the team to reintegrate Leo into the squad’s dynamics, and what we have tried to do is find the best setup so that they can excel,” Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said after the win. “We have been working on this throughout the year.”
Though the team added Argentine goalkeeper Oscar Ustari last week, Drake Callender is expected to remain the starter, and he picked up the victory over the Union. He stopped seven of Philadelphia’s eight shots, as Inter Miami took the league’s lead in the Supporters Shield table with 62 points.
“As we said at the beginning, we know the squad we have, and it is a goal,” Messi said of the Shield. “We are realistic and take responsibility. The truth is that throughout the year, we had a lot of bad luck with injuries. We were never at full strength. Due to one thing or another, we were always missing players, but the team always pushed forward.
“We are in first place with a big lead, and deservedly so. Hopefully, we can finish at the top for what it means and for what’s to come after, as well.”
Up next, Messi and Inter Miami will take on Atlanta United FC on Tuesday night.
