After falling midweek to Los Angeles FC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, Inter Miami returned to MLS play on Sunday against Toronto FC with all their stars on the field. Following the match, head coach Javier Mascherano explained why he chose not to rest Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez despite the looming second leg on Wednesday.
Fans were surprised when the starting lineup was announced, featuring marquee names like Messi, Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets. Many expected Mascherano to rotate his squad to keep players fresh for the decisive Champions Cup quarterfinal. In his post-match press conference, the Argentine coach gave a direct explanation:
“First of all, Busquets can’t play on Wednesday. Then, within the rotations we wanted to make, we believed—based on our conversations and how they’ve been feeling—that these are players who, beyond their age, have played every three days their entire lives. They’re used to it, and I thought we needed to make changes in other positions.”
Mascherano also emphasized that he never planned to take the game lightly, even with a crucial fixture on the horizon. “People might have been surprised, but the other day I said that throwing this game away wasn’t in my plans. We didn’t get the result we wanted, which was to win and head into Wednesday in the best shape, but in terms of rotations, those we believed needed to rest, did,” he stated.
Among the star players, only Luis Suarez was substituted, making way for debutant Allen Obando. Messi, Alba, and Busquets each played the full 90 minutes. With Busquets suspended for Wednesday’s clash, Inter Miami’s other veterans will face LAFC with heavy workloads.
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Winning the Champions Cup remains one of Inter Miami’s top priorities this season, but the 1-0 first-leg loss to LAFC has put their campaign in jeopardy. Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Toronto, the third-worst team in the MLS standings (3 points from 7 games), only added to growing concerns about the team’s form.
Looking ahead to the decisive second leg, Mascherano addressed his team’s issues: “We weren’t aggressive when it came to defending. It’s hard when you keep making the same mistakes—we were disconnected during many phases of the match, and if we don’t understand that, we’re going to suffer like we did today.”
He finished with a warning to his players about the importance of staying locked in. “With a final like the one we have on Wednesday, if we’re not switched on from the beginning to the end—the 95, 100 minutes of regulation time, and even more if there’s extra time—it’s going to be tough. This is the best proof that football isn’t about the past, it’s about the present,” he concluded.
