Mascherano confronts front office over lack of signings at Inter Miami, calls squad ‘short’

Inter Miami returned to winning ways in MLS Matchday 30, defeating Seattle Sounders 3-1 at Chase Stadium, under Javier Mascherano coaching. Goals from Jordi Alba, Lionel Messi, and Ian Fray secured the victory, allowing the Herons to climb back into playoff positions despite still having three games in hand compared to most of their Eastern Conference rivals.

However, the post-match spotlight shifted from the field to the press room, where head coach Javier Mascherano openly voiced frustration about the team’s lack of depth. The Argentine made it clear that the responsibility lies not with him, but with the club’s leadership, including David Beckham and the sporting department.

During the press conference, a reporter asked Mascherano why Inter Miami failed to strengthen more in the last transfer window. His response was blunt: “Do you think a coach doesn’t want more players? Every coach wants depth. But it’s not my responsibility—you’ll have to ask the front office. I’m happy with the base we have, but the truth is we’re short on numbers. Right now, we’ve got five or six players out, and that leaves us exposed.”

Mascherano admitted that the club tried to bring in one more signing during the summer but negotiations fell through. He added: “I’d like to have more resources, of course. But my job is to train the players I have. If the team doesn’t work, the first one to blame is me. Still, I can’t deny we’re short on players. I’ll deal with this until the end.”

Two summer signings: De Paul and Silvetti

Inter Miami only managed to add two reinforcements this summer: Rodrigo De Paul, arriving from Atlético de Madrid for around $15 million, and Mateo Silvetti, a promising winger from Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina.

While both bring quality, Mascherano stressed that the roster remains thin: “Today we had 17 available players, including a backup goalkeeper. Even if I want to bring up Pintér from the second team, he can only play two games before he’s ineligible. That limits us strategically.”

The injury and suspension crisis

The Herons have been hit by a wave of injuries and suspensions. Currently unavailable are:

• Luis Suárez (suspension)
• Allen Obando (hamstring)
• Fafà Picault (quad)
• Baltasar Rodríguez (hamstring)
• David Ruiz (hamstring)
• Tomás Avilés (suspension)
• Telasco Segovia (ankle, questionable)

Mascherano also reminded reporters that during the upcoming FIFA international window, Inter Miami could lose up to six players to national team duty, including Messi, De Paul, and Alba.