"This club shouldn't stain Messi's legacy" "You guys are complete frauds" - Fans question Inter Miami as they drop points without Lionel Messi
Inter Miami fans on X reacted in frustration after the Herons played out a goalless draw against Orlando City without Lionel Messi. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner missed the MLS clash at the Inter & Co Stadium on Wednesday (May 15) due to an injury.
Messi has been in sensational form this season for Inter Miami, netting 12 goals and providing 11 assists in 12 appearances across competitions. His presence was vital on Sunday (May 12) when he captained the Herons to a 3-2 win over Montreal. However, the win came with a cost as Messi sustained a knock to his knee, leading to him being left out of the matchday squad against Orlando.
Both sides dominated in short spells but were unable to apply the finishing touch to break the deadlock as the game ended all square. Inter Miami looked noticeably less threatening in attack without their skipper, leading to one fan posting:
"You guys are complete frauds without Pessi"
Another fan wrote:
"No one creating chances, no one dribbling, no one driving the ball forward, no one playmaking, no one making defense splitting passes, no one scoring goals. Messi is really all you got? What about plans for when he leaves for copa America? This club shouldn't stain Messi's legacy"
Other fans reacted as well; their reactions can be viewed below:
"It’s actually insane how you guys can’t win without Messi", one fan pointed out.
"This shows how much Messi is needed for this team. The goat", one fan hailed Lionel Messi.
"The Messi haters who were praying they would win comfortably so they could say they play better without Messi are in tears right now", one fan wrote.
"The team rely more on Messi", another fan chimed in.
"Defense was a little better today but we need better finishing when Messi not playing", one fan admitted.
How did Inter Miami fare against Orlando City without Lionel Messi?
Inter Miami looked toothless in attack without Lionel Messi as they dropped points in their stalemate against Orlando City on Wednesday. Let's take a look at the stats to see how both teams fared.
Tata Martino's side dominated possession with 59 percent of the ball. They also attempted 572 passes with an accuracy of 90 percent. In contrast, the hosts had 41 percent possession, attempting 388 passes with an accuracy of 86 percent.
Despite this, Orlando looked more threatening in attack, landing 14 shots in total with three being on target. Inter Miami only mustered seven shots in total with three being on target.
The Herons remain at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference standings with 28 points from 14 games, one point above Cincinnati - who have a game in hand.