‘Not going to be a hypocrite’ - Inter Miami manager Javier Mescherano refuses to ‘say everything is fine’ as Lionel Messi and slumping squad fall to sixth place

Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano addressed the media on Monday ahead of Wednesday’s Week 13 MLS matchup against the San Jose Earthquakes. The team is reeling from a 4–1 defeat to Minnesota United, which dropped them to sixth place in the Eastern Conference with 21 points.

The loss marked their fourth in the last five matches, raising questions about Mascherano’s leadership. During that stretch, Inter Miami has conceded 14 goals, including a 5–1 drubbing by the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Champions Cup semifinals.

When asked about the team’s recent form, Mascherano responded sarcastically, “We’re f*cking great. We’re very good.” He then offered a more measured perspective:

“I’m not going to be a hypocrite here and say everything’s fine because obviously we don’t like losing. I understand that we’ve lost four of the last five games and that there are things that need to be corrected.”

Mascherano attributed many of the goals conceded to individual errors and lapses in concentration rather than systemic defensive issues.

Despite the poor run of form, Mascherano emphasized the team’s unity.

“I see that the group is united, that they want to get out of this bad moment, this slump we’ve had in the last two weeks, and that the best way is to work, to be aware that we need to improve, and above all, to keep our heads down and push forward.”

The pressure is mounting for Mascherano with The Herons after suffering another defeat this season. But more than the defeats, the worry is the manner, as the Argentine's team has been thrashed in four of the last five matches. The manager reflected on recent results:

"In recent matches, we've clearly had many of these situations in several stretches that ultimately resulted in us conceding a lot of goals. We're aware that in recent matches, we've lost the solidity we had shown in the first half of the season," he explained.

The match has garnered significant attention, with tickets selling out rapidly, partly due to the anticipated presence of Lionel Messi. His inclusion in the squad has been confirmed, adding to the excitement surrounding the game.

As Inter Miami seek to rebound, the performance against San Jose will be pivotal in determining the trajectory of Mascherano's tenure and the team's aspirations for the remainder of the season.

The Argentine confirmed that Luis Suárez will remain out of the squad for the second consecutive match, as he has not joined the team after missing the previous game against Minnesota. “Luis is still out of the squad.”

Regarding Fafà Picault, who also missed the match against Minnesota, Mascherano appeared more optimistic.

“Fafá is with us. He had a migraine attack Saturday morning when he woke up. He was going to start, but unfortunately, he had that episode. He's here with us, we're evaluating him.”

The match against San Jose will be played this Wednesday at PayPal Park, where Bruce Arena's team sits in seventh place in the Western Conference with 16 points. The Earthquakes are on a three-game winning streak, two in MLS play and the other in the Round of 32 of the US Open Cup.