Tag: Sergio Busquets

Martino apologizes for Messi absence after Inter Miami wins in Vancouver

Martino didn’t feel like he needed to apologize — but he did so anyway

Inter Miami head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino didn’t feel like he needed to apologize for his stars’ absence at Vancouver, but he did so anyway.

Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Sergio Busquets all didn’t make the trip to for Inter Miami’s game against the Whitecaps on Saturday, disappointing fans who thought they’d get a glimpse of the star trio.

A record crowd of 51,035 showed up at BC Place, as the Herons still managed a 2-1 road victory through goals from Robert Taylor and Leo Campana.

Prior to the game, the Whitecaps issued an extraordinary statement confirming the star trio’s absence themselves, rather than taking the traditional path of waiting for Inter Miami to announce the decision.

“Unfortunately, we have no control over who plays for our opponent, and it was important for us to communicate to our fans as soon as possible,“ Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster said in the statement.

Martino said he understood the disappointment of fans — many of whom paid exorbitant ticket prices on the secondary market — but emphasized that his priority was protecting his players.

“Obviously [the win] is very important for us because of the absences we had,” Martino said in his post-game press conference.

“The expectation that people have. I really don’t think I have to apologize, but in some ways we are very sorry for not being able to travel with our stars. There is a question, we have or have come without our great players. Leo, Luis, Busi, Diego Gómez and still we have competed very well.”

Inter Miami is back in action on Wednesday when it faces Atlanta United at home. All of the team’s stars are expected to be available.

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Whitecaps issue extraordinary statement confirming Messi, Suarez, Busquets won’t travel to Vancouver

The Canadian club said the statement was designed to inform fans as soon as possible

Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Sergio Busquets all won’t make the trip to Vancouver for Inter Miami’s game against the Whitecaps on Saturday.

Instead of Inter Miami confirming the news themselves, the announcement was actually made on Thursday by the Whitecaps.

It was an unusual move, which Vancouver CEO Axel Schuster said was designed to get the message out to fans as soon as possible.

“While we haven’t received an official update on the availability of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Sergio Busquets for this weekend, we understand they will not make this trip. Unfortunately, we have no control over who plays for our opponent, and it was important for us to communicate to our fans as soon as possible,“ Schuster said in a club statement.

“We always want our best players going up against our opponent’s best players, and facing players of the highest pedigree was especially exciting for our team. We know that there will also be a lot of disappointed fans.

“We remain committed to making this a special experience for everyone. It is still going to be an incredible atmosphere and celebration of soccer for our city. We have amazing fans, we have a good team, and Saturday’s match is a very important home game for us.”

The Whitecaps are expecting a club record MLS-era crowd on Saturday at BC Place, with many of those fans likely paying exorbitant fees for their tickets on the secondary market.

In an effort at damage control, the Whitecaps announced all in-stadium food and beverages for the match will be 50 percent off, while children 18 and under will be provided one free kids meal combo.

That will likely be cold comfort to fans, who seemed to have hit the jackpot when the 2024 schedule was released. Due to an unbalanced schedule, Vancouver is one of just three Western Conference cities that will host Inter Miami.

Messi played in the other two games — at the LA Galaxy on February 25 and at Sporting Kansas City on April 13 — but Vancouver has missed out on seeing the Argentine legend along with Suárez and Busquets.

None of the trio have a known injury. Instead, Miami seems to be sparing the veterans from one of the longest road trips in MLS, with Vancouver and Miami nearly 3,500 miles apart.

Inter Miami also has a short turnaround for a game that is more significant: Wednesday’s home match against conference rival Atlanta United.

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The gang takes in a Miami Heat game

The Inter Miami stars couldn’t inspire the Heat to victory in Game 4

Some of Miami’s biggest sports stars were out on Monday night, but those of the soccer-playing variety were unable to inspire the basketball-playing ones to victory.

Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba were all in the house for Game 4 of the Miami Heat’s first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.

But the visitors would end up cruising to a 102-88 win at the Kaseya Center, taking a 3-1 edge in the best-of-seven series.

It was some measure of revenge for the Boston area, after Inter Miami took down the New England Revolution 4-1 over the weekend. Messi scored a brace in the win, taking him to nine goals in just seven MLS games this season.

The Heat made sure to highlight the presence of the ex-Barcelona stars on their social media, showing all four players arriving through the VIP entrance.

Messi donned a Canadian tuxedo for the event, while Suárez opted for the archetypical attire for any superfan: a personalized jersey.

Messi also posted on his personal account after the game, showing his three sons decked out in the same personalized jersey as Suárez — with the No. 10 instead of the No. 9 of course.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6YtQW3tz-y/?hl=en&img_index=1

The Heat will have to win Game 5 in Boston on Wednesday night to give the Inter Miami stars another chance to attend a home game this season. Should the Heat win, Game 6 would be back in Miami on Friday night.

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Inter Miami vs. Houston Dynamo: How to watch U.S. Open Cup final

The status of Lionel Messi is the biggest question mark heading into Wednesday’s game

Inter Miami is set for its next opportunity at silverware since the arrival of the team’s vaunted Barcelona trio, headlined by Lionel Messi.

Miami hosts the Houston Dynamo in the U.S. Open Cup final on Wednesday. The Herons are looking to complete a double after taking home the Leagues Cup shortly after Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba arrived at the club.

But in a blow for Miami, Messi is a game-time decision while Alba is likely out. Both left Miami’s 4-0 win over Toronto FC before halftime in an MLS game last week.

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Even so, Miami has the might to hang without their stars. The Florida Derby against Orlando City SC saw Inter squeak out a 1-1 draw over the weekend. Miami has also won six of its last seven games at home.

And that’s not to say there isn’t the possibility of Messi coming off the bench. That could be a realistic option against Houston.

The Dynamo, headlined by Mexico international Héctor Herrera in the midfield, did fall over the weekend to Sporting Kansas City, but that ended a streak of seven unbeaten. That’s a good run of form for a club looking for its first trophy since 2018 (U.S. Open Cup).

Here is everything you need to know to catch all the final action:

Inter Miami vs. Houston Dynamo (U.S. Open Cup)

  • When: Wednesday, Sept. 27
  • Where: DRV PNK Stadium (Miami)
  • Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: CBS Sports Network, Telemundo, Universo, Paramount+, Peacock.

Open Cup Starting Lineups

Inter Miami possible lineup:
Callender; Yedlin, Kryvtsov, Aviles, Allen; Cremaschi, Arroyo, Busquets; Farias, Campana, Taylor

Houston Dynamo possible lineup:
Clark; Escobar, Bartlow, Hadebe, Smith; Caicedo, Herrera; Iturre, Carasquilla, Kowalczyk; Ibrahim

U.S. Open Cup Final Odds and betting lines

MLS odds courtesy of Draft Kings Sportsbook. Odds were last updated Tuesday 5:44 PM ET.

Inter Miami (-120) vs. Houston Dynamo (+260)

Draw: (+290)

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Martino: Messi game-time decision for Open Cup final, Alba likely out

Messi and Alba have both been dealing with muscle fatigue in recent weeks

Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino has said Lionel Messi will be a game-time decision for Wednesday night’s U.S. Open Cup final against the Houston Dynamo.

Martino added that left back Jordi Alba would likely not be able to play.

Messi and Alba have both been dealing with muscle fatigue in recent weeks. Alba didn’t train on Tuesday, while Messi was a partial participant.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Martino said on Messi: “We’ll wait until the last minute to see what decision we make.”

On Alba, the coach added: “Jordi, it’s going to be difficult.”

After winning the Leagues Cup in August, Inter Miami is chasing a trophy double when it hosts the Dynamo on Wednesday at DRV PNK Stadium.

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After a flying start to life with Inter Miami, fitness issues have slowed Messi in recent weeks.

The superstar missed out on Argentina’s second match of a two-game window earlier this month against Bolivia. Upon his return to the United States, Messi would then sit out Miami’s 5-2 defeat at Atlanta United.

Messi returned for last week’s win over Toronto FC, but he and Alba both left the game in the first half. Martino said Messi was dealing with “old scar tissue” while Alba had “muscular fatigue.”

The pair, along with Sergio Busquets, sat out Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Orlando City as they looked to get as fit as possible for Wednesday’s final.

Busquets looks likely to play, as he spoke with the media alongside Martino. The midfielder said his longtime Barcelona teammate would do all he could to be ready for the final.

“I think Leo has the desire to help the team and to win another championship. But like we said earlier, he’s going to know how much he can contribute,” Busquets said. “Every day that passes is a point in favor of how much he can contribute. But like we saw the other day, even after resting during Argentina’s game and our game at Atlanta, and seeming perfectly fine, [he wasn’t fit for the Toronto game].”

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Messi-less Inter Miami keeps playoff dreams alive — for now

A draw at Orlando City is a great result in a vacuum, but it may not be enough

Time is running out for Inter Miami’s hopes of an unlikely MLS playoff berth, but the Herons put forth a valiant effort in a 1-1 draw at Orlando City on Sunday.

Without star trio Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, an away match against second-place Orlando was a daunting proposition for Inter Miami.

Thanks to an awful start to the season, Miami has had virtually no margin for error since the arrival of the former Barcelona stars. Earning a point at Orlando is a solid result in a vacuum, but wins will be desperately needed from here on out for a side still 14th in the 15-team Eastern Conference.

David Ruiz gave Inter Miami the lead just after halftime against Orlando, which earned a share of the points through a 66th-minute equalizer from Duncan McGuire.

With five games to play, Miami is five points back of NYCFC in the ninth and final playoff position in the East. Though Miami has two games in hand over NYCFC, it still has to leapfrog five teams to move into playoff position.

Speaking to reporters after the game, head coach Tata Martino said he was happy with the result under the circumstances — even though he admitted it may not have been enough.

“We played with three kids from the academy and one of them scored,” Martino said. “We were able to get a draw; I think at some point we could’ve lost the game, but in another moment it was there for us. Taking all of this into consideration, we’ll see if this point matters for what we’re ultimately trying to accomplish. But if you think about it solely for what the game was, truly I’m leaving very satisfied, because a great effort was made today.”

The big question now surrounds the health of Messi, Busquets and Alba — all nursing various levels of minor injuries and fatigue — ahead of Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup final against Houston.

Martino wouldn’t give much away on Messi’s status, but was clear that he wouldn’t take an unnecessary risk in a game that could see Miami complete a double after winning the Leagues Cup last month.

“It’s very difficult to give him a percentage because we have to take it day by day,” Martino said. “We’ll continue to evaluate him and, as I always say, I will listen to him first and see how he’s feeling. Then we’ll also need to evaluate future risks. It’s not an easy decision, but we’re going to take the right amount of time to try to not make a mistake.”

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Inter Miami vs. Toronto FC: How to watch as Messi could make return

Will Messi return to action for Inter Miami’s match against Toronto FC on Wednesday?

Can’t win ’em all — at least, not when Lionel Messi is missing from the lineup.

Atlanta United handed Inter Miami its first defeat in all competitions since Messi’s arrival over the weekend via a 5-2 result.

Miami will look to get back to winning ways against Toronto FC in a midweek clash on Wednesday. Since the arrival of Messi in July (in addition to Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba shortly after), Inter had gone unbeaten in 12 matches.

However, Messi and Alba ended up not playing in Atlanta, with head coach Tata Martino saying both missed the match due to “muscular fatigue.”

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Inter Miami vs. Toronto FC on Apple TV” link=”https://apple.co/3Ltdxha”]

With the loss, the Herons dropped to nine points behind ninth-place D.C. United in the race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Toronto is a fantastic opportunity at a rebound, though, as the only team below Miami in the Eastern Conference standings. Going into the game, the status of Messi and Alba is still in doubt.

Here is everything you need to know to catch all the action:

Inter Miami vs. Toronto FC (Major League Soccer)

  • When: Wednesday, Sept. 20
  • Where: DRV PNK Stadium (Fort Lauderdale)
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: Apple TV

MLS Starting Lineups

Inter Miami possible lineup:
Callender; Yedlin, Aviles, Miller, Allen; Arroyo, Busquets, Cremaschi; Taylor, Campana, Farias

Toronto FC possible lineup:
Romero; Franklin, Rosted, Bradley, Petretta; Ibarra, Coello, Osorio; Insigne, Kerr, Bernardeschi

MLS Odds and betting lines

MLS odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Odds were last updated Tuesday at 9:04 a.m. 

Inter Miami (-310) vs. Toronto FC (+650)

Draw: (+440)

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Atlanta United vs. Inter Miami: How to watch as Messi returns to MLS play

A massive crowd is expected at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the marquee matchup

The international break felt a lot different this time around in Major League Soccer.

Plenty of players in the league reported for international duty, but few have ever done so after riding the highs Lionel Messi has been hitting recently with Inter Miami.

Despite having to play a match against Sporting KC over the international break without Messi (a 3-2 win), Miami remains unbeaten in 12 games since the Argentine arrived — with Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba joining shortly after.

Now Messi and Co. return to MLS play against Atlanta United, with a massive crowd expected at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

In the Leagues Cup in July, Inter cruised to a 4-0 win over Atlanta in a contest where Messi bagged a brace. However, it’s expected to be a much tighter affair in MLS play.

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In fact, in a rare occurrence, Miami is the slight underdog. Atlanta, sitting in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, has a decent shot to become the first team to beat Miami since Messi’s arrival.

Meanwhile, Inter Miami is on 28 points after 26 matches, sitting six points behind D.C. United in the final postseason position.

Here is everything you need to know to catch all the action:

Atlanta United vs. Inter Miami (Major League Soccer)

  • When: Saturday, Sept. 15
  • Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
  • Time: 5:00 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: Apple TV

MLS Starting Lineups

Atlanta United possible lineup:
Guzan; Lennon, Robinson, Abram, Wiley; Sosa, Sejdic, Wolff, Almada; Giakoumakis, Lobzhanidze

Inter Miami possible lineup:
Callender; Yedlin, Miller, Aviles, Alba; Arroyo, Busquets, Gomez; Taylor, Martinez, Messi

MLS Odds and betting lines

MLS odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Odds were last updated Friday at 1:39 p.m.

Atlanta United (+135) vs. Inter Miami (+150)

Draw: (+300)

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How to watch Lionel Messi and Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC

Is there more Messi magic to come in another MLS outing?

In his first-ever Major League Soccer action, Lionel Messi scored and Inter Miami won.

Try not to act too shocked.

Messi brought excellent form to begin his North American career in cup competition, leading Inter Miami to a Leagues Cup title and then to an Open Cup semifinal victory over FC Cincinnati.

Saturday’s matchup with the New York Red Bulls was the first MLS match for Inter Miami since the arrivals of Messi and his former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

Amid a crowded set of fixtures, Messi and Busquets were rested in New York while Alba started the game.

However, Messi and Busquets entered the contest (along with United States international DeAndre Yedlin) with 30 minutes remaining — and yes, as noted, Messi still scored as a substitute.

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The 2-0 win over the Red Bulls pulled Inter off the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

Still unbeaten since the arrival of Messi, next up is a team with revenge on their mind.

Miami hosts Nashville SC, the same side Inter defeated in the Leagues Cup final. It took a long shootout, which indicates a close fight could be on the docket for MLS fans.

With 21 points (14th place), Inter still sits 11 points back from a playoff spot. Meanwhile, Nashville will want to add to their 38 points which sees them positioned seventh in the table.

Here is everything you need to know to catch all the action:

Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC

  • When: Wednesday, August 30
  • Where: DRV PNK Stadium, Ft. Lauderdale
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: Apple TV

MLS Starting Lineups

Inter Miami possible lineup:
Callender; Yedlin, Kryvstov, Miller, Alba; Cremaschi, Busquets, Arroyo; Messi, Taylor, Martinez

Nashville possible lineup:
Willis; MacNaughton, Zimmerman, Bauer, Lovitz; Muyl, McCarty, Anunga, Leal; Mukhtar, Bunbury

MLS Odds and betting lines

MLS odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Odds were last updated Monday at 4:33 p.m.

Inter Miami (-195) vs. Nashville SC (+480)

Draw: (+330)

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How to watch Inter Miami vs. New York Red Bulls: Messi set for MLS debut

Messi, along with Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, are finally set to make their MLS debuts

Lionel Messi has long since arrived in North America, but he’s only played in cup competitions thus far with Inter Miami. That all changes on Saturday.

Messi, along with former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, are all set to make their MLS debuts with an away game against the New York Red Bulls. The trio already won the Leagues Cup and will have the U.S. Open Cup final next month.

Until then, it’s all about league play which begins with the game at Red Bull Arena.

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MLS play will be a much different challenge for Messi and Co. As impressive as the Argentine has been, it would be a sensational achievement if Inter Miami makes the MLS playoffs. Inter sits in the bottom of the Eastern Conference and are 14 points from a postseason position with 11 games to go.

But as Messi has reminded us: It’s never wise to count him out. Here is everything you need to know to catch all the action:

New York Red Bulls vs. Inter Miami (Major League Soccer)

  • When: Saturday, August 26
  • Where: Red Bull Arena
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: Apple TV

MLS Starting Lineups

New York Red Bulls possible lineup:
Coronel; Harper, Reyes, Nealis, Tolkin; Fernandez, Edelman, Yearwood, Luquinhas; Barlow, Manoel

Inter Miami possible lineup:
Callender; Yedlin, Kryvstov, Miller, Alba; Cremaschi, Busquets, Mota; Messi, Taylor, Martinez

MLS Odds and betting lines

MLS odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Odds were last updated Friday at 1:43 p.m.

New York Red Bulls (+135) vs. Inter Miami (+180)

Draw: (+250)

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