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Inter Miami vs Al Nassr: Lionel Messi’s Absence, Al Nassr’s Power Performance, Inter Miami Suffers 6-0 Devastation.
Inter Miami vs Al Nassr-Lionel Messi sustains injury as Al Nassr thrashes Inter Miami 6-0.
Inter Miami’s preseason game in Saudi Arabia, which was highly anticipated as a clash between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, turned into a nightmare for the team. Due to discomfort following a previous match, Messi was benched for 82 minutes as a precautionary measure.
Unfortunately, Inter Miami suffered a humiliating 6-0 defeat against Al Nassr, conceding three goals within the first 12 minutes. Despite the Saudi fans chanting Messi’s name throughout the game, his late cameo appearance in the 83rd minute couldn’t salvage the situation for Miami.
Inter Miami, despite its high-priced lineup of star players, has yet to secure a victory in the first four matches of its seven-game preseason world tour. In terms of goals, they have been outscored by a significant margin, with the scoreline standing at 11-3 against them. Following Monday’s game, Lionel Messi experienced a slight discomfort and attempted to train on Wednesday.
However, due to persistent discomfort, he underwent an MRI as a precautionary measure, as confirmed by a club source. Based on the test results and Messi’s condition, the coaching staff and medical team decided to allow the Argentine superstar a few days to recover. It was initially anticipated that he would not be included in Thursday’s game roster, but surprisingly, he was present on the bench.
Ronaldo observed the entire match from a luxury suite due to a calf injury, which resulted in Al Nassr canceling two games in China last week. During the first half, TV cameras shifted their focus to Ronaldo and Messi, with the Portuguese star wearing a smirk while his Argentine rival appeared despondent as his teammates struggled on the field.
Al Nassr’s Brazilian player, Anderson Talisca, achieved a remarkable hat trick. His first goal was scored in the 10th minute, followed by a penalty kick in the 51st minute, and his third goal came in the 73rd minute. The Saudi team’s initial goal was scored by Otavio in the third minute, while Aymeric Laporte found the net in the 12th minute and Mohammed Khalil Marran in the 68th minute. As Al Nassr continued to score, the criticism from Inter Miami fans on social media intensified. Al Nassr outperformed Miami with a total of 21 shots, 14 of which were on target, while Miami only managed three shots.
Inter Miami coach Tata Martino did not speak to the media, but wingback Julian Gressel mentioned that the coach displayed more energy than usual during halftime, as Miami found themselves trailing 3-0. Gressel acknowledged that the team did not achieve the desired result, but emphasized that there were valuable lessons to be learned from the match. He expressed the team’s eagerness to grow and improve, highlighting the importance of starting the game strongly.
Gressel acknowledged that being down 3-0 within the first 12 minutes of the game was a lesson that should have been learned during preseason. Martino had previously stated that player minutes would be managed carefully during the team’s preseason tour, spanning seven games across five countries. His main focus was ensuring the team’s health and fitness for the start of the MLS season on February 21, when they would face Real Salt Lake at home. Gressel emphasized the team’s determination to be in peak form when the season commences.
In the end, when the moment arrives and it truly matters, that’s when we strive to perform at our peak. Despite the disappointment they may bring, these games hold great value,” Gressel expressed. When asked about the challenges of playing preseason matches under the intense spotlight and pressure surrounding Inter Miami, Gressel responded, “I believe it’s actually beneficial to have games like these in order to prepare for the upcoming season.
These aren’t your typical preseason matches that I’ve experienced before, where you play against other MLS teams in training gear. These are legitimate games, and that will certainly work in our favor.” Gressel also acknowledged the support shown by the Saudi fans towards Messi and Inter Miami, stating, “He’s undeniably a popular figure.”
The team has three remaining preseason games on their schedule. They will be playing in Hong Kong on Sunday, in Tokyo on Wednesday, and at home on February 15th against Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys, which happens to be the hometown team of Messi and Martino. Unfortunately, there is no information available regarding the details of Messi’s latest injury.
It is worth mentioning that he had previously missed the final stretch of the 2023 season due to a persistent hamstring injury. The highly anticipated match between Inter Miami and Al Nassr was being promoted as “The Last Dance,” as it could potentially be the last opportunity for fans to witness these iconic players competing against each other.
The starting lineup for Miami on Thursday consisted of Leo Campana, Luis Suarez, David Ruiz, Sergio Busquets, Gregore, Jordi Alba, Noah Allen, Serhiy Kryvtsov, Tomas Aviles, Julian Gressel, and Drake Callender. In the 69th minute, DeAndre Yedlin replaced Alba and Robert Taylor replaced Suarez. Lionel Messi came on for Campana in the 83rd minute, while Lawson Sunderland substituted Ruiz in the 84th minute.
Nicolas Freire, the Argentine center back who recently joined on loan from the Mexican league PUMAS, has not yet made an appearance for Inter Miami. According to a team spokesperson, Freire is still being integrated into the team as he arrived at the training camp later than the other players.
Gressel was asked about the result on Thursday and whether it reflects the superiority of the Saudi Pro League over MLS. He responded by saying, “I don’t think you can compare. We are still in the early stages of our process, only in our third week together as a team after a long break. So, it’s not really fair to compare. I think we would love to have a rematch at some point. That’s the competitor in me, maybe in an official competition like the Club World Cup.”
Note: Inter Miami has completed a trade with D.C. United, sending defender Christopher McVey in exchange for a 2024 international roster spot and a potential sum of up to $100,000 in general allocation money, contingent upon his achievement of specific performance metrics. Additionally, the team has transferred midfielder Nicolas Stefanelli to Fehervar FC, located in Hungary.
