‘Made most sense’ - Inter Miami decision to rest Lionel Messi explained as Tata Martino addresses ‘frustrations’ of MLS fans in Vancouver

The Whitecaps sold over 50,000 tickets for their meeting with the Herons, but many – who had parted with some hefty sums – were disappointed to see Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets left behind in Florida. The visitors claimed a 2-1 win without their collection of ex-Barcelona superstars.

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Messi has nursed the odd knock this season, and is approaching his 37th birthday. He also has Copa America duty with Argentina on the horizon, meaning that his workload is having to be managed carefully. With that in mind, the decision was taken not to make him take in a long-haul trip across North America.

Martino told reporters when asked to shed some light on why Messi did not figure in Vancouver: “It must be stressed that he has played a lot of minutes this season, so we had to find a moment to give him a break and to rest him for a match. In this specific case, the trip to Vancouver made the most sense. We understand people’s frustrations, especially because of the desire these fans have to see these players. But as coaches, we have to make these decisions that are uncomfortable and that will frustrate people, but ultimately we have to look after our players and the team.”

Messi has been in dazzling form in 2024, breaking into double figures for goals and assists, meaning that Inter Miami will take no risks on his fitness. The expectation is that a candidate for MLS MVP honours will come back into contention for back-to-back home dates with Atlanta United and St Louis City.