“I’m sure other teams are a little bit scared of us” - Inter Miami star hypes up Lionel Messi return after Tata Martino hint
Inter Miami midfielder Julian Gressel has revealed that he expects other MLS teams to be wary of the return of Lionel Messi to action. The Argentine great has been out of action since July, but Herons boss Tata Martino expects him to be back fit this month.
Messi captained Argentina to Copa America glory despite an injury-hit tournament in which he recorded one goal and an assist. The most significant injury to the forward came in the final against Colombia, when he suffered a sprain and ligament damage to his ankle. He has since been out of action, watching from the sidelines as his Inter Miami teammates failed to win the Leagues Cup.
The Herons missed Lionel Messi in the Leagues Cup, but they are going strong without him in the MLS this season. They lead the Eastern Conference by eight points after racking up a number of impressive wins, and are top of the overall MLS standings, as well.
USMNT midfielder Gressel is pleased with how his team has performed this season and is excited for the return of Lionel Messi to fitness. He told MLS Wrap-Up about how much the 37-year-old Argentine contributes, and how other teams will fear their side after his return.
“It’s Lionel Messi, I don’t think I really need to say much on what contribution he brings here. We’ve been very good without him, now you add a player like him into this team, and I’m sure other teams are looking at that and are a little bit scared of us. He has a couple of weeks to get back to game fitness, and hopefully he can join us on the field for the next game.”
Tata Martino has hinted that he expects his talismanic forward to return to action when his side face Philadelphia Union on September 14. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner was left out of the Argentina squad for this month's FIFA World Cup qualifiers to enable him to focus on his fitness.
Inter Miami will likely participate in the playoffs to try and win the MLS Cup in October, having missed out last year. Lionel Messi will likely have a big part to play, and the manager will be keen to get him back in rhythm ahead of the commencement of the playoffs.
Lionel Messi's red-hot Inter Miami teammate announces international retirement
In-form Inter Miami striker Luis Suarez has announced his decision to retire from international football after a fruitful career. The 37-year-old will play his last game for Uruguay in this month's FIFA World Cup qualifiers, he has revealed.
Suarez is Uruguay's most prolific player ever, with 69 international goals to his name for La Celeste. The former Liverpool man has made the second-most appearances for his country behind only Diego Godin, turning out 142 times between 2007 and now.
Luis Suarez has carried the mantle well at Inter Miami in the absence of Lionel Messi, scoring 16 goals in 20 MLS games. The Uruguayan struck twice in their most recent game, a 4-1 win over Chicago Fire.