“We hope they stay there for as long as possible” - Jordi Alba reacts after Inter Miami win 3 straight games without Lionel Messi and Suarez
Inter Miami star Jordi Alba has expressed his hopes of his side maintaining their fine form in the absence of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. The MLS side have won all three games they have played since the pair of former Barcelona stars left to feature in the Copa America.
Messi's arrival in Florida marked a turning point in the fortunes of the club, as they won the Leagues Cup within weeks of his joining. They quickly strengthened their squad afterwards, signing the likes of Alba, Sergio Busquets and Suarez to add quality to their roster.
Lionel Messi has hit double figures for goals and assists this season in the MLS despite struggling with injuries for much of the season so far. Similarly, Luis Suarez has scored 12 goals in only 16 league appearances since his arrival in January, but both men are away with their national teams.
Inter Miami have struggled without Messi in the past but have now looked much stronger without their talismanic forward. The Herons defeated Nashville in their most recent league match to remain on top of the Eastern Conference standings. Jordi Alba was on the scoresheet in the 2-1 win, and spoke with MLS Wrap-Up about how the entire team wants both men to stay away for as long as possible.
“We miss them a lot, for their international teams they’re doing really well and we hope they stay there for as long as possible, but for now, we’re doing well ourselves here, and we have to continue going with this form," he said.
Inter Miami claimed wins over Philadelphia Union and Columbus Crew earlier, and hold a two-point lead in the Eastern Conference. The Herons will play at least two games more without Lionel Messi and his strike partner, as their respective countries, Argentina and Uruguay, have qualified for the knockout stages of the Copa America.
Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez set to feature in Copa America knockout stages
Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez will feature in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Copa America after helping their respective sides qualify from the group stage. Messi captained Argentina, featuring in each of their first two matches against Canada and Chile before picking up an injury.
Suarez has played just once for Uruguay, as a substitute, at the ongoing Copa America. The 37-year-old forward finds himself behind red-hot Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez in Marcelo Bielsa's La Celeste team.
Argentina will face Ecuador in the quarterfinals of the competition, having finished the group stage with a 100% record. Uruguay sit atop Group C heading into their final group game against USA, and are on course to face Brazil or Colombia in the last eight.