“I’m the most frustrated one” - Javier Mascherano responds to criticism as Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami struggle in recent weeks
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano has responded to criticism amid Lionel Messi and co's recent poor form. The Herons are fourth in the MLS Eastern Conference table with 21 points from 10 games.
Inter Miami were knocked out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup after a 5-1 aggregate loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps in the semi-finals last week. They also lost their unbeaten streak in the MLS after a 4-3 loss to FC Dallas last month. The decline in form has partly been due to Lionel Messi's unavailability in certain games owing to injury issues. The Argentine has missed four games for the Herons this year, either on the bench or by being out of the squad for injuries.
Speaking about Inter Miami's recent poor form, coach Javier Mascherano claimed that he understands the criticism meted out towards his team. He said (via All About Argentina):
"I understand the criticism, I’m the most frustrated one, but Rome wasn’t built in a day."
Despite Inter Miami's poor form, Lionel Messi has done his bit to turn up for the team whenever available. In 14 outings across competitions, he has contributed nine goals and three assists. The Herons will next face Minnesota on May 10 in the MLS.
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano addresses criticism about their reliance on Lionel Messi
In an interview with reporters on May 3 (h/t Bolavip), Inter Miami boss Javier Mascherano addressed criticism about the team being reliant on Lionel Messi. He said:
“For 20 years, teams have depended on Messi. Barcelona depended on him—with Guardiola, with Luis Enrique, with Valverde. The Argentine national team has relied on him for 15 or 20 years. It’s impossible not to depend on him. Of course, there are days when the team supports him more, and others when it supports him less."
Mascherano addressed the Herons' elimination from the CONCACAF Champions Cup after the 5-1 aggregate loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps and continued:
"I understand people want blood right now. There are aspects of the internal analysis I agree with—I’m not here to say everything is fine after being eliminated from a final we were so excited to play. We’ve lost three games in three days, so there’s obviously a lot to improve."
"But I’m not going to lose my mind or see everything negatively. This is a time to swallow the bitterness, keep our heads down, work hard, and strengthen as a group," he added.
It is still early in the season, and Inter Miami have a fair chance of winning the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup if they improve their form. Last year, Lionel Messi led the Herons to the Supporters' Shield and was also named MLS Most Valuable Player (MVP).
