HANOVER, N.J. – For the New York Red Bulls, facing Inter Miami and Lionel Messi will make up most of the buzz heading into Saturday night’s fixture. But for a team just three points out of the playoffs, the focus is very different.
In fact, despite the global stature of Messi, the Red Bulls say that they aren’t going to change who they are or their philosophy. This, despite the fact that Messi’s arrival to MLS has been a huge jolt for the league.
With tickets potentially going for as much as $20,000 for this match, it will no doubt be a scene at Red Bull Arena for Messi’s MLS debut. Against the backdrop of the world’s largest media market, Messi mania has certainly gripped the area. Over 500 media credentials were requested for this match.
Only a fraction will be provided on Saturday evening.
It is a setting that Red Bulls coach Troy Lesesne embraces while cautioning that this match is bigger than Messi for the Red Bulls, with a win being paramount for their playoff hopes. Even while facing Messi, who has 10 goals in eight games with Miami so far, Lesesne says his side’s DNA can’t change.
“It doesn’t matter necessarily the opponent that we’re playing,” Lesesne said on Thursday afternoon. “But this is an outlier of a player, you know, this is someone that can show up.
“I don’t think he had a shot on goal [in Miami’s U.S. Open Cup semifinal] but he virtually wins the game with two big moments in terms of his assists. So, there is a component of that that we have to focus on, in terms of him being an individual this talented. But the main focus though, is on how we want to go about trying to be in our way without putting all the attention on one particular player.”
Lesesne pointed out that there’s also a danger in spending all of his side’s preparation time on Messi, as it is at least possible that the 36-year-old doesn’t play a full 90 minutes so soon after going 120 against FC Cincinnati.
“Maybe he doesn’t feature on the night, maybe only comes on for limited minutes,” explained Lesesne. “What a waste of preparation, potentially, if he doesn’t start on the night and we’ve only focused on one player for the week.”
The Red Bulls are a counter-pressing side, one that frustrated Inter Miami head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino during his tenure with Atlanta United. The idea will be to frustrate Inter Miami’s build-up and cut off service to Messi. If the Red Bulls can force Miami to play direct, they could theoretically limit Messi’s touches on the ball.
It is a dangerous game to play, as Cincinnati (another counter-pressing side) found out. The tactic places tremendous responsibility on the center backs to stay connected, and Messi has clearly already proven that he doesn’t need much to exploit an MLS backline.
Red Bulls know it’s not just the Messi show
Messi has made eight appearances for Inter Miami since his arrival in July, none of which have come in league play. He was a part of all seven of his team’s games en route to winning the Leagues Cup, winning the tournament’s Golden Boot with 10 goals. His other Miami appearance came on Wednesday night in what turned out to be a wild Open Cup match that ended with the Floridian side progressing to the tournament’s final.
Given that Miami hasn’t lost with Messi in the fold, the task in front of the Red Bulls seems daunting. If a team commits too many resources to stop the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, that just gives the rest of Miami’s players time and space to do the job themselves.
“I think a bunch of teams we’ve seen so far, they’ve tried to strategize how to deal with that and not just focusing on Messi,” midfielder Daniel Edelman said on Thursday.
“Robert Taylor is excellent these past few games, and also Josef Martínez up top. We’ve got to just be aware of everyone,” continued Edelman. “I think we’ve gotten so much better with controlling the ball and showing teams that we don’t just press and we’re not just going to run you through the ground and play balls in the air and in behind, and be direct.
“We have players that can do more than that, and we’re going to try to show that against what looks like the best side in the league right now in Miami.”
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