Florida, July 13
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano lavished praise on the "flagbearer" Lionel Messi, who breaks "records every three days" in the masterclass he exhibited in their 2-1 victory over Nashville SC at Chase Stadium in the Major League Soccer (MLS).
Messi dazzled on the field and netted a brace for the fifth consecutive time to set a new record in the MLS. Messi's former Barcelona teammate and now Miami's head coach, Mascherano, hailed Messi for another masterful display but acknowledged the growing concerns around the Argentinian's workload management.
"Obviously, we're monitoring the situation daily and having ongoing conversations with him. We'll find the right time to give him a break. What he continues to do is unbelievable - breaking records every three days. He's the flag bearer of this team, our leader, and he sets the standard for how we compete. It's truly a blessing to be part of this stage of his career," Mascherano said as quoted from Goal.com.
Messi broke the deadlock in the 17th minute by converting a free kick with his sublime touch. He went low towards the right of the goalkeeper and found the back of the net with sheer precision. Nashville restored parity through Hany Mukhtar moments into the second half.
In the 61st minute, Messi punished Nashville by intercepting a loose pass from goalkeeper Joe Willis. He created space for himself with his quick feet and dispatched the ball into the back of the net to seal Miami's victory.
While Messi continued his prolific form, his compatriot Luis Suarez continued to endure a silent outing. Despite being goalless in the last three games, Mascherano doesn't feel it would be right to criticise "great player" Surarez.
"It wouldn't be right for me to criticise someone who's scored over 500 goals in his career. Luis is a great player, just like Leo, Busquets, and Jordi. When he doesn't score, the discussion starts - but he gives us so much more. Just two weeks ago, we were talking about his wonder goal against Palmeiras. Football is dynamic," Mascherano said.
"As long as our top players are healthy, I'll back them - and our young players - all the way. It wasn't ideal for him. We wanted to sub him off earlier, but the moment wasn't right. Still, we'll manage his time carefully. His quality is unquestionable," he added.
Messi's stalemate-breaking strike was his 69th free-kick goal of his career. He is just eight strikes shy of levelling Marcelinho Carioca, who sits at the all-time list with 78 free-kick goals. Roberto Dinamite is in second with 74, while Juninho Pernambucano follows next at 72.
- ANI
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