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Monterrey midfielder Luis Romo has claimed that they were adamant about not giving Lionel Messi the respect he deserves on the pitch in their clash on April 10. He added that they wanted to show the world what they were capable of by isolating the Argentine from his teammates.
Monterrey beat Inter Miami 3-1 in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup quarter-finals clash on Wednesday. They won the tie 5-2.
Speaking to FOX Sports MX after the game, Romo said that Inter Miami were the favorites for the CONCACAF Champions Cup this season because of the Argentine. However, the Liga MX side were determined to show that they were also in the mix for the trophy. He said:
“Mèssi made them candidates [for the Champions Cup], but we as a collective also are candidates. Today the goal was accomplished, we didn’t give Mèssi the respect or support he expected and we showed the world what we are capable of.”
Lionel Messi was starting for the first time in over a month for Inter Miami. He managed to get an assist late in the game, but they lost 3-1.
Monterrey manager called Lionel Messi the GOAT
Monterrey manager Fernando Ortiz made bold claims ahead of the match on Wednesday. He said that Lionel Messi was supposed to be worried about facing them and not vice versa. However, he hailed the Argentine as the best player in the world and said:
“We are Monterrey. We are at home with our fans. Mèssi can worry about us. No, but seriously, we are very fortunate to be on the field with the best player in the world. We will enjoy it, but at the same time we want to win.”
After the 3-1 win, Ortiz went on to claim that Lionel Messi was the greatest ever football in his opinion and added:
“I said it before and I will say it again, for me, he is the best player in the entire history of this sport. Though saying that, I am happy to have eliminated a great team as well as to have beaten Gerardo [Tata Martino] and Mèssi, he is a world-class player with a fantastic manager. But as coaches, we cannot enjoy these moments for long, I am already planning for the next game.”
Monterrey will face Columbus Crew in the semifinal later this month in a two-legged fixture.
