Coach Gerardo Martino said on Friday that Inter Miami are putting too much pressure on their Argentine star Lionel Messi, ahead of their Florida derby against Orlando City.
Miami have started the season well, with a home victory over Real Salt Lake and a draw at the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday.
But Messi has a hectic schedule of games for both club and country this month, and Martino says the team need to find a way to ease the burden on the eight-times Ballon d’Or winner.
*I feel that in these last two matches, he has expended too much energy, and that is also my responsibility to make sure the team operates in a way that we can use him in the best way,” Martino told reporters.
Messi has been playing in a flexible role, behind his former Barcelona colleague Luis Suarez, often dropping deep to get the ball and then trying to drive his team forward.
Messi scored a last-minute goal to secure a point for Miami at the Galaxy but Martino says the performance drained the 36-year-old.
“I’ve been discussing some things with him and what concerns me the most is the day-to-day and how he is recovering game by game. I feel that in these first two matches, we have relied on him too much, which has caused him significant fatigue in both games,” he said.
The former Argentina and Mexico national team coach said the team have to find a way to give Messi more chances near the goal.
“In the Leagues Cup game against Orlando (last season), he often found the ball in the final quarter of the field and was able to finish the play, he scored from inside the area. That’s what we need to get back to, the team finding him to make plays and sometimes finding him for the finishes,” he said.
Miami are hoping that their new Argentine signing, midfielder Federico Redondo will be able to play on Saturday if his paperwork is sorted out.
