“We Can Win Without Him” – With Lionel Messi Set to Miss 3 Games, Inter Miami Boss Brims With Confidence After Win in New York

Inter Miami fans are buzzing after witnessing their side clinch a 2-0 victory against New York Red Bulls. But moments later, their smiles turned into frowns after the Miami boss claimed Lionel Messi will be missing the next three games. However, he reckons that the team will be able to perform well even with the 7x Ballon d’Or winner’s absence.

Aside from the win, Miami also saw their skipper open his account on his debut. Mostly, it has been due to Messi that they have kept their winning streak alive, which now seems to be danger. But Miami’s boss is brimming with confidence even with La Pulga’s absence.

Inter Miami boss confident over win despite Lionel Messi’s absence

Earlier, Gerardo Tata Martino revealed that Messi is set to miss the next three games of MLS as he will get called up for his national team. Certainly, it is a huge blow for Miami as they would be without their leader. However, Martino insists the team will do well without their new number 10.

When asked about the team learning to win without Messi, he said, “I think it’s the first time we’ve played without Messi since the Cruz Azul match. We controlled the match for large portions. We needed to do this so we can believe that we can win without him.” The former River Plate manager insists he wants his side to keep faith that they can win without La Pulga.

Remarkably, they were winning today’s match against NY Red Bulls, thanks to a 37th-minute strike from Deigo Gomez. Later, Messi came off the bench in the 60th minute to double Miami’s lead in the dying moments of the game. Perhaps, Martino would be looking to go forward with the same mentality in the next three matches which are against Nashville, LAFC, and Sporting KC on August 31, September 4, and September 10, respectively.

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Each of these matches holds significance in determining Miami’s destiny in the MLS playoffs. The void left by Messi’s absence will likely have a profound impact on the team’s morale. Nonetheless, they must strive to secure victories in these games even in the absence of their frontline leader. Meanwhile, Messi also made it to the Times Square.

Lionel Messi makes it to Times Square

Although he did not play the full 90, Messi didn’t fail to give his ardent fans the show of a lifetime. Notably, his presence extended beyond television screens, instead, thousands observed him from the New York streets. A live stream of the game was put on the large displays of Times Square as he made his entrance onto the field.

The video depicts the bustling New York crowd pausing to retrieve their phones and capture Messi on the screen. This is quite astonishing, given that the New York Mets were playing against the LA Angels. Despite the presence of Shohei Ohtani & Mike Trout’s presence in the city, it was Messi who held the attention of thousands. Without a doubt, it’s a memorable debut for La Pulga.

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