"Nothing surprises me" - Luis Suarez says Lionel Messi did something he's never seen before in Inter Miami vs NYRB clash
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami teammate Luis Suarez wasn't surprised with the Argentine's performance in the Herons' 6-2 victory over the NY Red Bulls on Sunday (May 5).
Messi got on the scoresheet in the 50th minute and bagged five assists on the night. This made the former Barcelona man the first-ever player to register five assists in a single MLS game.
Suarez, who has shared the pitch 268 times across competitions for Barcelona and Inter Miami, admitted that even he hadn't seen Messi pull off something like this.
After the match in which the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner assisted all three of the Uruguay striker's goals, Suarez said (via Inter Miami News):
"What we saw tonight is surprising because it hasn't been seen in our sport before, but as a teammate and knowing Leo, nothing surprises me because that's the quality player he is."
"On the field, it's a different feeling having him as a teammate because we know each other so well, sometimes without even looking at each other. That was another plus we had tonight on a great night," he added.
After their latest win, Inter Miami are top of the Eastern Conference standings, three points ahead of second-placed Cincinnati, who have played a game less.
Messi himself has been brilliant since the start of the new season, playing 11 matches across competitions, bagging 12 goals and 11 assists.
Inter Miami are next in action against Montreal for a league match on Saturday (May 11).
Breaking down Lionel Messi's numbers in Inter Miami's win over NY Red Bulls
Lionel Messi proved his class yet again in Inter Miami's latest win against the NY Red Bulls. Apart from his goal contributions, the 36-year-old made six key passes and created five big chances.
He accurately delivered three of his four attempted long balls, found his target once from three attempted crosses, and completed three of six dribbles. The ex-Paris Saint-Germain man won six of 11 ground duels, made one tackle, and did not contest any battles in the air.
Overall, Messi has been extremely impressive since joining Inter Miami in the summer of 2023 on a free transfer. He's played 25 matches across competitions for the Herons, bagging 23 goals and 16 assists.