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Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano has rubbished talk of a possible rift with Lionel Messi. The duo were involved in an animated exchange during the 5-3 defeat at the hands of Chicago Fire last week at the Chase Stadium.
The Herons were 2-0 down by the 31st minute in the game, before Tomas Aviles brought his team back in the game. The Florida-based club were tied 3-3 at one point in the game, thanks to Luis Suarez's second-half brace.
However, the visitors scored twice in the final stages to secure a memorable win. During the game, cameras captured Mascherano's intense exchange with Lionel Messi, sparking talk of a possible fallout between the two.
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However, Mascherano has now played down those rumours. Speaking ahead of Saturday's game against New England, the Inter Miami manager insisted that he was simply discussing tactics with his countryman.
“There’s no problem with Leo...It came out in the press that he was challenging me, which is really nonsense,” said Mascherano.
He continued:
“We were talking about Chicago’s low block. If you look at the game, after their first two goals, they played a very low block, and there was little space to find between the lines.”
He concluded:
“It was a space problem, because they had dropped back very well, and it was very difficult to find space between the lines. It was a problem that I saw and that we tried to talk about in the locker room.”
Inter Miami secured a 4-1 win over the Greater Boston club this weekend, and have already qualified for the MLS Playoffs.
How many goals has Lionel Messi scored for Inter Miami this season?
Lionel Messi is Inter Miami's top scorer once again this season, despite missing eight games so far. The 38-year-old has registered 32 goals and 17 assists from 41 games in all competitions this campaign.
The Argentine has scored 24 times in 26 games in the MLS, and is leading the race for the Golden Boot at the moment. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has been a revelation for the Herons since arriving at the club in the summer of 2023.
Lionel Messi has won the Leagues Cup and the Supporters' Shield to date with the Florida-based club, the only two trophies in Inter Miami's history. Having missed out on the MLS Cup last year, La Pulga will have his eyes on the top prize this season.
