Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano confirmed Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul are in perfect condition ahead of the second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 against Nashville SC on Wednesday night at Chase Stadium.
The two players failed to travel with the team over the weekend to North Carolina for the regular season MLS match against Charlotte FC on Saturday.
“Well, clearly, Rodrigo and Leo didn’t travel, and yes, it was a decision we made together with them,” Mascherano said on Tuesday.
Inter Miami defender Maximiliano Falcón remains sidelined with the knee injury he sustained in the first leg of the series against Nashville on March 11, which finished in a scoreless draw.
“We felt we had too many trips planned, considering it was an artificial turf field, always complicated at Charlotte, we preferred they avoid the trip, rest, and not have to make another journey,” Mascherano said. “We’ve been traveling a lot in the last month and a half, because there were these nine matches in a month and a half between preseason and the start of the season … Leo and Rodrigo are also in perfect condition, like everyone else except Maxi [Falcon]. Maxi [Falcon] is the only player who’s out.”
Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Morales previously explained the absence of Messi and De Paul as a collective coaching decision with the Champions Cup game in mind.
“These are decisions we have to make as a coaching staff,” Morales said on Saturday. “We’ve been playing a lot of games lately — Wednesdays, Saturdays — and we have a very important home game coming up, so Javier and the coaching staff thought it was the best decision. It was a collective decision.”
Mascherano was unable to explain the decision to rest Messi and De Paul following the game against Charlotte after receiving a red card in the final minutes of the game. The Inter Miami head coach initially received a yellow card for being outside of the technical area before earning a second yellow and subsequent red card for his temperament.
“Yes, I was rightfully sent off. When they showed me the yellow card, maybe I reacted because I was giving an instruction to one of my players, I wasn’t presenting anything to the referee, clearly my action was measured, I was outside the technical area and I was right to be booked,” said Mascherano on Tuesday.
“Many times in matches, things get intense, and I’m not making excuses for anything. When I make a mistake, I’m the first to admit it. I’ve said it countless times, and you’ll hear me say it as many times as necessary because I believe we shouldn’t be ashamed to acknowledge our errors. But let me clarify that many times the team was playing a great game.
“It was the final minutes, I was trying to keep the game from slipping away, and in that eagerness to help, especially the young players who were making their debuts, sometimes the game leads you to make mistakes. I made them, and I hope I don’t do it again, although I probably will because of my passion for football. But I was right to be sent off.
Opposing fans at Bank of America stadium clapped and cheered as Mascherano exited the field, inspiring him to make a gesture for more noise with his hands.
“The other part is just a bit of folklore; the fans were giving me a hard time. We Argentinians enjoy all that, but with all due respect. In the end, we’re all human; we have blood running through our veins,” Mascherano said.
“There are times when, I repeat, I’m not making excuses because if there’s anyone who can’t lose control, it’s me. I mean, how can you then ask a footballer not to lose control if you’re the first one to lose it? That’s clear, but oh well, it happened and we have to acknowledge it, and that’s it, let’s hope it doesn’t happen to us more or that it happens as little as possible.”
Inter Miami will host Nashville SC on Wednesday night to qualify for the quarterfinal of the Concacaf Champions Cup. The winner of the series will go on to face the winner of the round of 16 match up between the Philadelphia Union and Club América.
