“Team’s Ready for This Challenge” – Ahead of Locking Horns With Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in US Open Cup, Rival Star Sounds Off Confidence

Lionel Messi sent shockwaves across the world when he announced that he was joining Inter Miami. However, the Argentine World Cup winner has delivered and how. Since his arrival, Inter Miami has made it to the finals and semi-finals of the Leagues Cup and US Open Cup respectively. La Pulga has the chance to make it to the US Open Cup finals as well as he faces Cincinnati FC next week. While most teams don’t look forward to facing Messi & Co, their semi-final rivals are different.

In a recent interview, Cincinnati attacker Brandon Vazquez was asked about his thoughts on the possibility of encountering Lionel Messi for the first time. Brandon’s response however surprised many. Shockingly, the attacker seemed unfazed about dueling against the high-on-confidence Miami.

Brandon Vazquez & Co are ready for Lionel Messi

Unlike Inter Miami who got their opening MLS match postponed, Cincinnati’s opening MLS match is on schedule. Due to this, Brandon Vazquez’s side has to be braced for the mammoth Inter Miami clash in far lesser time compared to their rivals. Despite this big hurdle, Vasquez sounded extremely positive about giving Messi & Co a tough challenge.

“There’s a lot of hype in the next couple games. So for sure, it’s in the back of everybody’s mind. So we know it’s a quick turnaround,” said Vazquez. He then emphasized focusing on recovery to prepare for the Miami challenge. “We know we really have to focus completely in recovery between games and being the best prepared as possible. So I think the team’s been doing great with that, taking all the steps necessary in the right recovery procedures. I think the team’s ready for this challenge,” opined the 24-year-old.

All said and done, it’s truly commendable to witness Inter Miami’s meteoric rise since the World Cup winner’s arrival. From taking a team with the worst underlying statistics in the league to being favorites for two trophies, from being at the bottom of the league table to rival players now being regularly quipped about Miami’s threat; Messi & Tata Martino have done an insane job. La Pulga in a recent interview delved light into the herculean efforts they took to make this happen.

READ MORE: After Lionel Messi’s 34.7 Yard Screamer, Ex-MLS Star Takes a Dig at Wayne Rooney’s Early Dismissal of Inter Miami Superstar

La Pulga is super proud of his team’s performances so far

Recently, Lionel Messi gave his first-ever interview after joining MLS. In the interview, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner touched upon the most overlooked aspect of Inter Miami’s success so far – teamwork. During this summer, the team underwent a complete rebuilding process from the ground up following its first two seasons under Phil Neville.

Messi took the stage to put light on the magnificent effort of his team. In an interview with ESPN, he quoted, “Ever since the competition started, we knew that we would be starting from scratch because there was a new coach with the team and other new players”. “From the very beginning, we’ve done very well thanks to all the new teammates that are here.”

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Inter Miami with the Argentine soccer legend at the helm is unbeaten so far this season. With two important knockout matches coming up, do you see them maintaining the streak? Let us know your thoughts below!