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Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano has revealed that he is targeting winning the MLS Cup this season. His comments arrived after Lionel Messi and Co. defeated Montreal 4-1 in their MLS clash at the Stade Saputo on Saturday, July 5.
The Herons had an impressive FIFA Club World Cup campaign as they were able to defy the odds and reach the round of 16. They continued this momentum on their domestic return, comfortably defeating Montreal 4-1, with Tadeo Allende (33'), Lionel Messi (40', 62'), and Telasco Segovia (60') amongst the goals.
Inter Miami are currently sixth in the MLS Eastern Conference standings with 32 points from 17 games, 10 points behind leaders Cincinnati with four games in hand. They appear to be in contention to qualify for the play-offs and will be aiming to win their maiden MLS Cup later this year.
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Following the Montreal win, Mascherano stated (via GOAL):
“Our motivation now is to compete in our league, and to achieve something this club has been aiming for year after year. We want to get as far as we can, qualify for the play-offs, be in position to have home field advantage, and from there we’ll see what happens at the end of October.”
Amid the Herons' busy schedule this month, he also added:
“Clearly, we have a lot of games coming up, plus all the ones we have already played, so we will need everyone to participate. We’ll see how we can manage some roster changes without feeling it too much because I don’t like to change six or seven players from one match to the other.”
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami set a league record last season, accumulating 74 points from 34 games, the most in the competition's history. Despite winning the 2024 Supporters' Shield for their efforts, the Herons were unable to claim the MLS Cup, losing out on the ultimate prize to the LA Galaxy.
How did Lionel Messi fare during Inter Miami's 4-1 win over Montreal?
Despite making an early error that led to Montreal breaking the deadlock in the second minute, Lionel Messi had an outstanding performance, inspiring his side to a 4-1 win. He was named the Player of the Match, receiving a match rating of 9.4.
Messi netted a brilliant brace, provided one assist, and completed 39 passes from an attempted 50 (78 percent accuracy). The 39-year-old also created the most chances (five), completed the most dribbles (six), and won the most duels (eight). He also landed two shots on target from five attempts (40 percent accuracy).
Lionel Messi has had a standout season for Inter Miami to date, recording 18 goals and seven assists in 25 appearances across all competitions.
Disclaimer: The above stats were taken from FotMob on July 6, 2025, at 9:15 PM IST. They are subject to change.
