Here comes Messi for ‘The Sequel.’ Could it be as riveting as his Inter Miami debut?
“Messi: The Sequel.”
It couldn’t possibly be as breathtaking, captivating, spectacular as “Messi: The Debut.”
Or could it?
After international sensation Lionel Messi kicked the winning goal into the top left corner of the net on a free kick in the 94th minute Friday to lift Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over Mexico’s Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup opener, inquiring minds wonder: Will Messi get his first start at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday against Atlanta United?
“There is a chance they could start, and everyone knows when Leo starts he usually plays 90 minutes,’’ new Inter Miami coach “Tata” Martino said Monday in Spanish of Messi and fellow former Barcelona great Sergio Busquets during a news conference at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. “It will all depend on their fitness level and how they’re feeling since it’s only their second match here.’’
Both players will compete wearing Inter Miami pink and black for the second time since recently joining the club.
As of Monday afternoon, tickets still remained (though they were getting pricier) for Inter Miami’s second game Tuesday in the Leagues Cup, a World Cup-style tournament that encompasses all 47 teams of Major League Soccer and Liga MX, the Mexican League. Miami will advance with a regulation win (3 points), a win in penalty kicks (2 points) or a loss in penalty kicks (1 point).
Atlanta is 9-7-8 in MLS play. Inter Miami is 5-14-3 and in last place of the Eastern Conference, including a win against Atlanta earlier this season.
Martino — a native of Argentina and former coach of Messi and Busquets with Barcelona — was also the coach who led Atlanta United to the 2018 MLS Cup title. The MLS has taken four weeks off of league play to compete in the tournament.
“Atlanta is a place very special in my heart and very important in my life, not just because of the two years I spent coaching there, but the city as well,’’ Martino said. “It’s a special match for me. We could have had a game against any of the other league teams, but it’s good we got Atlanta, especially after such a great match we had last week.”
And what a week.
Torn ACL
Defender Kamal Miller and goalkeeper Drake Callender both reflected Monday on Messi’s debut that sparked an emotional storm, mostly exhilarating, but also darkened with sadness after 20-year-old defender Ian Fray, a rising talent from nearby Coconut Creek, sustained his third torn anterior cruciate ligament during play.
“It’s tough,’’ Miller said. “Just when he was starting to rack up a run of games and really show what he can do, something so tragic like that happens. You don’t wish that on anyone. From what we know about Ian is he’s going to bounce back again for sure. He’s a special player.”
Inter Miami announced during the weekend that Fray will miss the rest of the season. He missed all of the 2021 and 2022 seasons after tearing his right ACL in each of those preseasons. He had started started eight of his 12 games this season after overcoming the injuries before Friday’s injury.
Afterward, Messi was seen in a social media post, holding up Fray’s No. 24 jersey in a team photo, saying in Spanish: “Let me dedicate this victory to Ian Fray, who was suffering in the locker room from the injury he sustained. He comes from two serious injuries and today he has the bad luck to go through an injury again.’’
Fray later posted his own uplifting message on Instagram: “First of all thank you to everyone that reached out. There’s some things in life that you can never fully comprehend, but you have to have gratitude and take a second to realize other people have it worse off. With that being said, don’t think for one second that I’m ever going to let anything stop me. I will be back.’’
Said Callender: “You never want to see that happen to any of your teammates, especially Ian, since he’s had a really strong season and knowing what he’s been through in the past. Our whole team is supporting him the best way we could. He’s a very, very, very strong kid. ...I’m sure it’s a lot for him right now.”
Callender had a strong performance Friday, thwarting shot after shot in a first-half barrage by Cruz Azul. He described the win as a “collective’’ effort, acknowledging that he did get “a couple pats on the back for some of the [seven] saves I made. But that’s just me doing my job.’’
‘Surreal’
Callender described Friday as “surreal’’ and said “up to this point in my career, probably one of the biggest games I’ve played in in terms of everything — from both ends of the field, just the capacity to which our team competed and how we fought to the very end. You think back to when you’re young it’s always a dream to be a pro, but it’s a dream beyond a dream to be able to play with one of the greatest of all time and to compete in a game like that.
“It was just, like, good vibes. We wanted to start Leagues Cup on the right foot so getting the win was huge for us.”
Miller, 26, a Canadian who was traded from Montreal earlier this season, was asked what it was like “having so many GOATS [greatest of all times] watching the GOAT’’ — Messi.
“Yeah, I’ll admit it,’’ Miller said, grinning. “I was a fan boy for sure. When I saw LeBron, it was a pretty chilling experience. I had goosebumps for how hot it was. Yeah, it was special for me. I love LeBron James, he’s one of my favorite athletes. And the greatness of Serena Williams. Seeing them both so close and right there was special and made me want to put my best foot forward for them.”
Miller agreed that now having defensive midfielder Busquets in front of him, as well as, of course, forward Messi, has changed his role in terms of distributing the ball.
“He can thread the needle and find the killer pass at any time,’’ Miller said. “Having a guy with that quality attracts so much attention and opens up the space for everyone else. We’re all going to benefit from it. ...This is exactly what we want, to be in this position fighting for the top of everything.’’
Now, with the whole world seemingly watching every Inter Miami — make that, Messi — move, how much does having that attention, having Inter Miami fans filling up the stadium, help?
“Oh, we love it,’’ Miller said. “In ‘futbol,’ the 12th man is a real thing, having the fans behind you, pushing you through when you feel tired. You definitely feel that boost. It’s definitely going to help us and put us in the right direction. Yeah, we just want to keep putting together solid performances and get some results because they deserve it.
“It’s been a tough season and we’re looking to turn it around right now.”
Miami Herald sportswriter Andre Fernandez contributed to this report.
This story was originally published July 24, 2023 at 4:07 PM.
