Inter Miami head coach Gerardo Martino talked about the approach they are willing to take in their upcoming games in the absence of their captain and ace forward Lionel Messi.
The World Cup-winning Argentinian will be a notable absentee in their upcoming fixtures as Messi has been included in Argentina’s latest squad for the World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Ecuador and Bolivia.
Thus, he will remain unavailable for Inter Miami and will miss at least one game for his new club which is against Kansas City on Saturday.
"We will try to put together the best performance possible against Kansas City. We’ll also hope that the players leaving come back healthy and well so that we can continue this stretch," Martino said talking about coping with Mess's absence as quoted from Goal.com.
Messi has struck 11 goals and registered 5 assists across 11 appearances in all competitions for the Major League Soccer (MLS) club.
Messi has been crucial in changing the fortune of the club since his arrival. His leadership on the field has been one of the major things that has influenced Miami's performance.
Martino talked about the impact of Messi's leadership skills on the club and said as quoted by ESPN, "He is not doing here neither more nor less than what we saw in the World Cup with Argentina. Leo's leadership on and off the pitch has been notable in recent years. I'm thinking about what he did in the World Cup because that reflects the kind of leader he has become."
Martino knows Messi quite well as he has managed him at both national and club levels - Argentina and Barcelona. During Messi and Martino's time together at Barcelona, the duo won the Spanish Super Cup, but they failed to lift the prestigious La Liga or the Champions League trophy.
"It's totally different from the first years of his career when he only led from the football side. Today he has an impact on the field as always, but also in training, in talks with the young players of the team, and in how to execute an idea for the team," Martino was quoted as saying by ESPN.
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