Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano said he gave it little importance Lionel MessiHe celebrated provocatively after his goal against Club America on Saturday, before claiming that Liga MX teams have always been “hostile” against Argentina.
Messi provoked Club America fans attending the friendly at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas by scoring a 34th-minute goal and making a “3-0” hand gesture in reference to Argentina’s three World Cup wins to Mexico’s zero.
“No, the truth is I haven’t talked to Leo, so I haven’t given it much importance,” Mascherano said Tuesday.
“I think we have more important issues to deal with, yes and logically I have had to play against Mexican teams and against the Mexican national team, we know they are generally hostile towards us Argentines. And I think that’s going to be the case after the world, that wound is still open.”
Mexico loses 2-0 to Argentina at 2022 World Cup el tri Were eliminated from the tournament in the group stage.
Club America head coach Andre Jardin and the team have not publicly commented on the situation, but were seen hugging members of Inter Miami after the match. Miami won the match 3–2 in a penalty shootout.
“We obviously faced an opponent who is a three-time champion of Mexico, an opponent who has been playing the same way for years, whose style is very clear and that is why he had the successes he had in Mexico And the truth is, it’s a great feeling, I think defensively, how we worked in that middle block of the waiting situation in which we planned the game,” Mascherano said.
“Probably, obviously, if there’s one aspect we’re going to focus on is keeping the ball more, we, especially at the beginning of the game, weren’t able to get a clean start and maybe that hurt us. It didn’t allow us to have the possession that we like at least as a coaching staff.
Inter Miami will now prepare to travel to Peru to face Universitario at the Estadio Monumental “U” in the south and central part of their preseason. Mascherano hopes to have a full squad without any injuries.
“We resumed training today because we arrived very late on Sunday and we like to rest both Sunday and Monday, so as far as I understand, the doctors told me that they are all expected to be able to train. are available for – even Facundo FariasThat’s going to be part of the training; “He had a problem last week, but everything is fine.”
Inter Miami will also travel to Panama to play against Sporting San Miguelito and Honduras to face Olimpia before concluding the preseason in Tampa vs. Orlando City on February 14.