"Can't even beat a last place team without Messi", "Please fire Mascherano" - Fans slam Inter Miami as they play out draw in Lionel Messi's absence

Inter Miami fans on X (formerly Twitter) have slammed Javier Mascherano and Lionel Messi's teammates after a draw against DC United. They were furious with the team dropping points to the last-placed side in the MLS Eastern Conference.

The Herons missed the chance to jump to fourth in the MLS Eastern Conference table after being held to a draw at the Audi Field. They fell behind early in the game after Jackson Hopkins found the back of the net, and needed a second-half goal from substitute Baltasar Rodríguez to get a point.

Fans were quick to call out Mascherano and the players on X and said:

"So Mascherano out now right?" said a fan after the final whistle.

"Whoever gave Mascherano a coaching license should be sued. He is the worst coach alive. All this rubbish rotation for Wednesday game he is gonna flop at. If they don’t win Wednesday get him sacked", added another fan.

"Please fire Mascherano," declared one fan who wants a quick change.

"Can't even beat a last place team without Messi 💔💔." said one Lionel Messi fan after the game.

Mascherano's job might not be under threat right now, but the fans are calling for him to be sacked soon. The Argentine spoke about the future in July this year and said:

“Personally, as a coach, I don’t look much further than the current season. Thinking long-term in this job is a mistake because results are what keep you here. You have to stay focused and put all your energy into the present."

Javier Mascherano was appointed at the start of the 2025 season and has overseen 39 matches. He has managed to win 22 of those games with Lionel Messi-led side, while losing nine times.

What happened to Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi?

Lionel Messi has been carrying a leg injury for the last month but played in the 3-1 win over LA Galaxy earlier this month. He sat out of the Tigres UNAL win and now missed the draw at DC United.

Javier Mascherano spoke about the Argentine earlier this month and said:

“He wasn’t 100 percent comfortable. Tomorrow we’ll see how he feels. As the minutes went by he loosened up a bit, but we need to evaluate his fatigue. It was something minor - during the last three training sessions I saw him improving - but the key is how he wakes up and how he feels day by day."

Lionel Messi remains in contract talks with Inter Miami as he looks to extend his stay at the club. He is in the final months of his deal with the MLS club and has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League.

About the author

Sripad is a veteran Sportskeeda football journalist who has been with the company for around 10 years. His tryst with writing happened in class XI when he started penning blogs, and his foray into football was during the early 2000s, watching matches with his cousins.

Sripad has been a Chelsea fan through and through since the age of 9 and can watch their 2012 Champions League triumph on repeat. The undisputed ‘GOAT’ according to him is Lionel Messi and his favorite managers are Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson. Apart from popular European leagues, he also likes to follow other leagues like the MLS, Saudi Pro League, Eredivisie, and Liga MX.

Sripad believes in only using the right sources for his articles, and is an expert in understanding how to get the right quotes for each news to provide proper background information. His exploits have led him to become a popular figure in European Football and interviewing Premier League legends such as Alan Shearer, Shay Given, Paul Dickov, and John Barnes. His articles have been much revered amongst the football fraternity and have been shared by the likes of John Terry, Gary Lineker, and Declan Rice.

If given a chance to change a football rule, Sripad wants VAR to be fully automated and offside rules to be less stringent. When not working, he likes to watch past Formula 1 races and play FIFA.

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Edited by Sripad