Inter Miami coach: 'Messi helps teammates improve'

At Inter Miami, Messi started to explode. In his debut, he came on from the 54th minute and then scored a super kick in the fourth minute to seal a 2-1 victory over Cruz Azul. In the next match against Atlanta United, the Argentine star contributed two goals and one assist to help Inter Miami win 4-0.

Coach Martino believes that Messi not only directly determines the results of the last two matches, but also helps his teammates improve. "So far, what we've seen is the whole team is improving. The other players are not overwhelmed by the great stature of their new team-mate, they just look at what Messi has achieved to learn from. and make more efforts," the Argentine military leader said on August 1.

Besides Messi, in the summer transfer window of 2023, Inter Miami also brought in two other former Barca players - who are also monuments, with a huge collection of trophies - Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Busquets made his debut from the win over Atlanta United. Alba just started training with the team on August 1.

"It's not easy for Inter Miami players to play with people who have made history, won so many titles with the same high level as rookies. But it also shows that Inter Miami is on the right track." Coach Martino added on the positive impact that Messi, Busquets and Alba have made on the team.

Thanks to the last two victories, Inter Miami topped Group J Leagues Cup 2023, and will meet Orlando City - the team that won Santos Laguna 3-2 - to top Group I. This match will take place at 7 a.m. tomorrow, August 3. , according to Hanoi time, on DRV PNK stadium - Inter Miami's home ground.

At the pre-match press conference, Orlando coach Oscar Pareja insisted that the students were not overwhelmed by the thought of facing the owner of the seven Golden Balls on the host side. "We are proud of the opportunity to play Messi directly, but also confident that Orland can beat Miami," he said.

Spanish newspaper Marca commented that Messi is facing an unprecedented challenge in his career - helping a young team like Inter Miami win a title. But the owner of seven Golden Balls soon has the opportunity to do that if Inter Miami wins the next four matches in the 2023 Leagues Cup, including the final on August 19. Marca commented that Mexican club Pachuca is Inter Miami's most dangerous opponent with a potential confrontation in the quarterfinals.

If crowned, Messi will help Inter Miami make history when becoming the first representative of the American professional football league (MLS) to win the Leagues Cup. The title in this arena two seasons ago belonged to two Mexican clubs, Cruz Azul (2019) and Leon (2021). The 2020 and 2022 tournaments will not take place, respectively, because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the World Cup in Qatar.

The Leagues Cup is an annual tournament launched in 2019 between clubs from the American Professional Football League (MLS) and Mexico's Liga MX in North America. This year's tournament will take place from July 21 to August 19 with all 77 matches held in the US or Canada. The Leagues Cup is organized by the MLS and the Mexican Football Federation, and is ratified by the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Football (CONCACAF).

For the first time in history, the 2023 Leagues Cup will feature all of the MLS and Liga MX teams - a total of 47 teams, when both will be suspended. According to the format, the two finalists and the third-placed team won a place to attend the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2024, in which the champion will go directly to the 1/8 round.