No opponent could defeat Inter Miami CF and Lionel Messi during Leagues Cup, as they produced an impressive seven-match unbeaten run to claim the title with Saturday’s cup final penalty-kicks win over Nashville SC at GEODIS Park. Messi started all of those games save a substitute appearance on his debut, and scored every time, too, racking up 10 goals to run away with the tournament’s Golden Boot.
Now the Herons must make sure the calendar doesn’t inflict any setbacks on the GOAT and the sudden turnaround he and fellow new arrivals Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba have sparked since their signings last month, even as they chase another trophy on Wednesday night at TQL Stadium (7 pm ET | CBS Sports Golazo, Telemundo).
Miami’s US Open Cup semifinal clash at MLS-leading FC Cincinnati is their eighth match in the 34 days since Messi and Busquets debuted in the dramatic 2-1 win over Cruz Azul on July 21. The schedule doesn’t let up in the coming weeks, either.
A league visit to the New York Red Bulls awaits on Saturday, followed by a midweek rematch with Nashville, then six MLS games in September plus the Open Cup final on Sept. 27 should they best Cincy this week. Plus, should Messi be called up by Argentina next month as expected, he could play two World Cup qualifiers in six days for his national team, the second in the extremely high altitude of La Paz, Bolivia.
All that said, Messi will start vs. FCC, and most likely every match he wants to beyond that until further notice, IMCF coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino told reporters on Monday.
“We talked about it just the other day. At some point we thought he should rest, at least to recover. It's a lot, having to play every three or four days,” Martino said in Spanish. “Clearly, Wednesday is not going to be that day. You know how he is, and that he loves playing and participating. So as long as he doesn't mention anything to me, he'll stay on the pitch.”
Martino acknowledged the physical and emotional intensity of his team’s past month and the risk it could lead to “a certain deterioration,” though he also pointed out “it is also true that Cincinnati is coming off of a game played last night Sunday\].” That [3-0 Hell Is Real rivalry loss to the Columbus Crew was the Knifey Lions’ first match since Aug. 4, when their Leagues Cup run ended with a shootout loss to NSC in the Round of 32.
A keen competitor who has shown no sign of slackening his intensity since arriving in South Florida, Messi has at times grown restless when rotated in other moments in his career. Though Miami have had to scramble to refashion their lineup and tactics on the fly with limited time on the training ground, he’s likely eager to maintain his team’s massive momentum in the wake of Saturday’s triumph.
Even before the champagne dried, Martino, too, was already pivoting towards the hefty task of Wednesday’s clash at TQL Stadium, where Cincinnati have yet to lose this season.
“We're happy for what happened. There's not a long time to celebrate,” said the veteran Argentine manager over the weekend. “On Wednesday we have another game and we will continue playing and competing like this in the different tournaments. This one is in the past, and now we are dreaming about the match against Cincinnati next Wednesday.”
