Lionel Messi and Inter Miami Struggling Under Javier Mascherano? Debugging Reigning Supporter Shield Winners’ Losses
When Gérard ‘Tata’ Martino bid farewell to Inter Miami in October 2024 for ‘strictly personal reasons’. He had just set the record for the most single-season MLS points en route to winning the Supporters Shield, tremendously improving the fortunes of a club that was bottom of the MLS standings when he took over. Lionel Messi and Inter Miami FC were cruising in the league, and the fans were excited for the next season.
Lionel Messi was involved in choosing the next manager and former Argentine team mate, Javier Mascherano was chosen to lead the team. The 40 year old who after retirement led the Argentine under 23 national team to Olympic gold was handed a 3 year deal and saddled with the responsibility of leading a much improved Inter Miami team contending in more competitions this season.
Unlike the 2023-24 season Inter Miami headed into the new season under Masherano participating in not only the regular season but also the Concacaf Champions Cup, League Cups and the Club World Cup as FIFA awarded Inter Miami the final Concacaf Slot as winners of the Supporters Shield.
Javier Mascherano’s Term at Inter Miami: More Downs than Ups
Mascherano started well in his first games in Charge of the club, winning his first game 1-0 against Kansas City in the Concacaf Champions cup, and embarking on an 8 match unbeaten run in the MLS winning 5 matches in this run and scoring 13 goals in the process, predominantly utilising the 4-4-3 formation and occasionally the 4-4-2 formation, Inter Miami flew to the top of the Eastern Conference with 18 points after the 1-0 win over Columbus crew
Drop in form
Beginning the season unbeaten with only the Continental loss to LAFC in April- quickly overturned in the second leg 3-1, it was expected Inter Miami would continue on this run especially after manager Javier Mascherano hinted at defensive stability after the win over Columbus Crew: “We played one of the best teams in the league, and we had to be very good defensively to neutralize them”
Also Read: Manchester City Season Review: Pep Guardiola and Co. Face Harshest Reality Check.
Instead what followed was a defensive collapse that has seen the club fall from top position to 6th on the table, the latest loss, a 3-0 defeat in the Florida Derby to Orlando City at home means it is just one win in their last 7 games in all competition and according to Opta, this is the heaviest home defeat Lionel Messi has been involved in his career totaling 313 matches.
Inter Miami’s MLS campaign was going well until their semi final exit in the Concacaf Champions Cup, losing 5-1 on aggregate to Vancouver WhiteCaps with Mascherano, he admitted the team’s morale had been hit.
“Clearly, something has happened where the team has lost a lot of confidence. We have had a drop in level, individually and collectively, and it’s clear one way or another – we have tried with different schemes, different names, and still today, we are hurting. We will keep trying to find a way.”
Since the 2-0 first leg defeat to the Whitecaps, Inter Miami have won just once (Against New York Red Bulls, May 3) in the last 6 matches conceding 18 goals in the time. Despite incorporating players like Telasco Segovia, Tadeo Allende and Maximiliano Falcon into the starting XI while also adding necessary depth from the bench.
The manner of the Concacaf exit left a sour taste of the lips of fans who have since seen their team consistently let in goals as opposition have found the way to beat the Press from Cremaschi and Allende, Inter Miami have also been found wanting on Counter attacks as a result of players being dispossessed.
Also Read: Three Reasons Why Real Madrid Lost the El Clasico
Messi is Tired?
Lionel Messi’s impressive 36 goal contributions in 19 games, bested Cucho Hernandez and Evander which ensured his first MLS mvp award, scoring 20 goals and 16 assists in 20 matches, Lionel Messi was the hero for the Herons as they lost just once in the regular season.
This season he has only managed 5 goals and 2 assists in 10 matches which is not bad return but at 37 years, Mascherano has come to the realization he cannot play every game as he was rested in April after soreness, Messi will be 38 in June and it is thought players like Luis Suarez must also assist in lifting the team. Luis Suarez joined last season and combined with Messi to devastating effect, scoring 21 goals and 9 assists in 30 matches, whereas this season it’s 2 goals and 6 assists.
Fans are growing inpatient with Mascherano as they demand an immediate improvement to the fortunes of the club who should be doing better and the Argentine coach believes the team need to know how to suffer in some moments as he laments costly mistakes: “I think it’s about making individual mistakes,you have to try to live some moments and try to keep calm”
Inter Miami next game is away at Philadelphia Union who has not lost a league game in its last 8 matches stretching back to Mid April and Coach Javier Mascherano will be hoping to correct some of the mistakes he has spoken of in their bid to calm the fans and improve league standings.
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