Inter Miami’s Messi and De Paul ‘fully fit’ for CCC match against Nashville

Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano has confirmed that Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul are in excellent shape ahead of the second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 against Nashville SC on Wednesday evening at Chase Stadium.

The two players did not accompany the team during their trip to North Carolina for the regular season MLS match against Charlotte FC on Saturday.

“Clearly, Rodrigo and Leo did not travel, and yes, it was a decision we made together with them,” Mascherano stated on Tuesday.

Inter Miami defender Maximiliano Falcón continues to be unavailable due to the knee injury he incurred in the first leg of the series against Nashville on March 11, which ended in a goalless draw.

“We felt that we had too many trips scheduled, considering it was an artificial turf field, which is always challenging in Charlotte. We preferred they skip the trip, rest, and avoid another journey,” Mascherano explained. “We’ve been traveling extensively over the past month and a half, with nine matches in that timeframe between preseason and the start of the season… Leo and Rodrigo are also in perfect condition, like everyone else except Maxi [Falcón]. Maxi [Falcón] is the only player who is out.”

Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Morales had previously described the absence of Messi and De Paul as a joint decision made by the coaching staff with the Champions Cup match in consideration.

“These are choices we must make as a coaching staff,” Morales remarked on Saturday. “We’ve been playing many games recently — Wednesdays, Saturdays — and we have a crucial home game approaching, so Javier and the coaching staff believed it was the best course of action. It was a collective decision.”

Mascherano was unable to clarify the rationale behind resting Messi and De Paul after the match against Charlotte, where he received a red card in the closing moments. The Inter Miami head coach initially received a yellow card for being outside the technical area before receiving a second yellow and subsequent red card due to his demeanor.

“Yes, I was justly sent off. When they issued the yellow card, perhaps I reacted because I was giving instructions to one of my players; I wasn’t addressing anything to the referee. Clearly, my action was measured, I was outside the technical area, and I was right to be cautioned,” Mascherano commented on Tuesday.

“Often in matches, things become intense, and I’m not making excuses for anything. When I err, I’m the first to acknowledge it. I’ve stated this numerous times, and you’ll hear me say it as often as needed because I believe we shouldn’t shy away from admitting our mistakes. However, let me clarify that many times the team was performing well.

“It was the final minutes, and I was trying to prevent the game from slipping away. In my eagerness to assist, particularly the young players making their debuts, sometimes the game leads you to make errors. I made them, and I hope to avoid repeating them, although I likely will due to my passion for football. But I was right to be sent off.

Opposing fans at Bank of America Stadium applauded and cheered as Mascherano left the field, prompting him to gesture for more noise with his hands.

“The other aspect is just a bit of folklore; the fans were giving me a hard time. We Argentinians appreciate all that, but with all due respect. Ultimately, we’re all human; we have blood running through our veins,” Mascherano remarked.

“There are times when, I reiterate, I’m not making excuses because if there’s anyone who cannot lose control, it’s me. I mean, how can you then expect a footballer not to lose control if you’re the first to do so? That’s clear, but it happened, and we must acknowledge it, and that’s it. Let’s hope it doesn’t occur again or that it happens as infrequently as possible.”

Inter Miami will host Nashville SC on Wednesday night to secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup. The winner of this series will face the victor of the round of 16 matchup between the Philadelphia Union and Club América.