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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — In Lionel Messi‘s third game with new club Inter Miami on Wednesday, coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino saw a little extra from his superstar — and his team’s opponents.
Messi scored twice in Miami’s 3-1 victory over local rivals Orlando City in the Leagues Cup round of 32 on Wednesday, while also receiving a yellow card and some rough treatment from opposition players in a feisty contest.
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“The match the other day [vs. Orlando] was completely different from the previous ones, that is true. There was more friction,” Martino said at a press conference Friday.
“I attribute it to the fact that there were many South Americans on the pitch. … And obviously there is a respect for the best player in the world, but the reality is that over the 90 minutes each team wants to win. And so it was deserving of him to play on the field the way that he did, and it served up notice to say: ‘Our team is here, watch out.'”
It’s been a superb start to the latest chapter of Argentine legend’s career with five goals in three games, but all of those contests were at home.
Sunday’s Leagues Cup round of 16 game at FC Dallas will be the first road test for Messi away from DRV PNK Stadium, where Martino faced the media before their trip to Texas.
Dallas currently sits eighth in the MLS Western Conference and lost six of their final nine games before this Leagues Cup break.
However, it does have several potent attacking options that could cause a much-improved Miami back four some problems.
“We expect the typical difficulties of a match like this because you can come out victorious or get eliminated,” said Martino. “But we will be visiting with a more complete team. Dallas has players with great potential from midfield on forward. Will have our work cut out for us.”
Health permitting, Messi and Sergio Busquets are expected to start the game, with fellow new arrival Jordi Alba‘s status still up in the air. The left back only arrived last weekend and saw about 40 minutes of action versus Orlando.
Both Messi and Busquets were on from the opening whistle in their second appearance though, and Martino said a decision regarding the lineup would be made on Saturday.
Martino also said Friday that he was happy to see Messi give up a potential goal in Wednesday’s win when he let teammate Josef Martínez take a penalty kick, a decision that ended up taking away what could have been a first Messi hat trick for Miami.
“It was nice of Leo to let Josef take it, Martino said. “Sometimes we recognize the need of a player to score. Josef played very well in the last couple of matches, his work off the ball leading to Messi goals.”
If Miami was to prevail on Sunday, it would be assured a home quarterfinal due to the Leagues Cup rule that home teams from the round of 16 onward will be determined by 2022 MLS records.
Both of Miami’s potential quarterfinal opponents on Aug. 11 or Aug. 12 — Charlotte FC and Houston Dynamo — finished lower in the final table last season.
But it’s this season Martino is obviously focused on right now, and the well-traveled coach clearly also knows the potential of his new-look team — which includes three young signings from South America in addition to the veteran ex-Barcelona trio.
“This is a team that’s improving, we’re still waiting for certain guys to join, and we’ve had very significant additions that have made us better,” said Martino. “Perhaps what we need now is only time, something that has comes together as we go through the competition.
“We’re on a good path, and the quicker we can integrate — even the injured players — I think we have a very competitive team that will be much better in the future.”