Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami debut was exciting, and his Leagues Cup run was thrilling. But Wednesday’s match will be the most anticipated Messi game since he joined the MLS club.
Messi and Inter Miami head to Mexico, where they face LIGA MX powerhouse Monterrey in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal matchup, trailing 2-1 in aggregate score.
The start time — 10:30 p.m. ET and 11:30 p.m. in Buenos Aires — isn’t ideal. But diehard Messi fans will still tune in. Here’s why you should, too.
Monterrey coach Nico Sánchez said Messi “wanted to fight me” and threatened to hit him, following a locker room confrontation between both teams after Monterrey beat Inter Miami 2-1 last Wednesday.
“The dwarf was possessed,” Sánchez said of Messi. “He had the face of the devil.”
If Messi was supposedly so enraged after a game he didn’t play, just imagine what he’s going to do on the pitch against Monterrey.
Wednesday’s match has the making of another legendary Messi performance.
Inter Miami’s match against Monterrey will be available at 10:30 p.m. ET on FS1 in English and TUDN in Spanish.
Messi must deliver to keep Inter Miami’s Champions Cup hopes alive. Inter Miami needs to outscore Monterrey by two goals to advance, while one goal would force the second leg into extra time. Any tie, or outright win by Monterrey would oust Inter Miami.
Sánchez, in an audio clip he says was shared with close friends before it was leaked publicly by Fox Sports Mexico, said:
“Messi wanted to fight me. I don't think he wanted to hit me because he would have done it. He had me a centimeter away. He put his fist next to my face. I think he was looking for my reaction more than hitting me.”
Sánchez reiterated “there was no fights, just pure discussion.” He also accused Inter Miami of deleting video footage of the altercation. “The videos leave them in a bad light, they deleted them.”
Sánchez issued an apology after the audio leaked: “I made the audio. I explain what happens on Wednesday in the mixed zone outside the locker room. Just as I detailed in the audio, which I sent to my intimate or private circle. But far from getting angry with them, it is my mistake … it will serve as a lesson for me.”
Monterrey reported the incident to Concacaf after the match, while Inter Miami has denied comment regarding the locker room confrontation.
Inter Miami coach Tata Martino called it all a “telenovela” or a Spanish soap opera.
"Revenge. Because where I come from, if two games are played, the first is called the first leg, the second is called the revenge. Nothing to do with this whole issue. I'm not even interested in creating anything,” Martino said. "We are going to go play a game. If we win, we will continue. And if we lose, we will return home and think about the league. Everything that has to do with the soap opera is not our idea."
Before the game, Monterrey coach Fernando Ortiz said: “Everything that surrounds Messi can lead to sporting and non-sporting decisions. I am concerned about the environment. Football is business. Business does not go the way of Monterrey.”
Inter Miami drew six yellow cards, including two leading to an ejection for David Ruiz, forcing them to finish the match with 10 players. Monterrey received only three yellow cards and scored twice after Ruiz’s exit.
Messi scored a goal within his first 13 minutes on the pitch after entering in the second half. And Messi’s outlet pass to David Ruiz led to Leo Alfonso’s goal two minutes later. He appeared fit and recovered from his lingering hamstring injury to help Inter Miami's 2-2 draw against Colorado last Saturday.
Messi was engaged, teeing off on five shots while he was in the match. He even contested a Colorado player with a clean, sliding tackle. He appeared 100 percent healthy in his first match since March 13.
"The most important thing is that he returned, that he felt good, scored a goal, participated in the second [half]," Martino said of Messi, who could start against Monterrey on Wednesday.
If Inter Miami advances to the Champions Cup semifinals, the first leg will be on April 23-25, with the second leg played April 30-May 2.
Here are the next five Inter Miami MLS regular season games:
∎April 13: Inter Miami at Sporting Kansas City at Aarowhead Stadium, 8:30 p.m. ET
∎April 20: Inter Miami vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m. ET
∎April 27: Inter Miami at New England, 7:30 p.m. ET
∎May 4: Inter Miami vs. New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m. ET
∎May 11: Inter Miami at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
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