Latest news with #SergioBusquets
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Messi in top form, but Inter Miami faces Columbus Crew on Saturday with depleted roster
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) celebrates with teammates Sergio Busquets (5) and Federico Redondo (55) after scoring during the first half of an MLS match against CF Montréal at Chase Stadium on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) reacts after scoring a goal against CF Montréal in the first half of their MLS match at Chase Stadium on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against CF Montréal in the first half of their MLS match at Chase Stadium on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) reacts after scoring a goal against CF Montréal in the second half of their MLS match at Chase Stadium on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) reacts after scoring a goal against CF Montréal in the second half of their MLS match at Chase Stadium on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) celebrates with teammates Sergio Busquets (5) and Federico Redondo (55) after scoring during the first half of an MLS match against CF Montréal at Chase Stadium on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) reacts after scoring a goal against CF Montréal in the first half of their MLS match at Chase Stadium on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against CF Montréal in the first half of their MLS match at Chase Stadium on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) reacts after scoring a goal against CF Montréal in the second half of their MLS match at Chase Stadium on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Inter Miami, eager to build on a midweek victory and head into June on a high note after a miserable May, will be forced to play with a depleted roster against perennial power Columbus Crew at Chase Stadium on Saturday. In addition to the loss of defensive midfielder Yannick Bright, who is out indefinitely with a hamstring injury, Miami lost left back Jordi Alba and center backs Gonzalo Lujan and Tomas 'Toto' Aviles to injury during Wednesday's 4-2 win against Montreal. Advertisement Alba and Lujan have unspecified leg muscle injuries and Aviles hurt his ankle. Coach Javier Mascherano said there is no timetable for their return. The team is off for FIFA break after Saturday's game and returns to action June 14 for the opening match of the Club World Cup against Egyptian team Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami's defense has been shaky of late, giving up 15 goals over the past five games, so the loss of those four players is particularly costly. Maxi Falcon and David Martinez, who finished the game at center back on Wednesday, are likely starters with Ian Fray at right back and Noah Allen on the left. 'Clearly, we have a very long list of injuries,' Mascherano said Friday. 'I would love to have a crystal ball to know when they'll be back. For sure they cannot play this weekend. Then we have two weeks, and, although I am not a doctor, we think a few of them can recover by then. And then, we hope the players who are leaving for national team duty come back healthy, as well.' Advertisement Lionel Messi was called up by Argentina for World Cup qualifiers against Chile on June 5 and Colombia on June 10. Telasco Segovia was called up by Venezuela for World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia on June 6 and Uruguay on June 10. Haiti invited Fafa Picault for World Cup qualifiers against Aruba on June 7 and Curacao on June 10. Benja Cremaschi will be with the U.S. Under-20 national team in Egypt for a camp and friendlies against Colombia on June 7 and Egypt on June 10. But first, it has a difficult game on Saturday against the Crew (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). Columbus last year won the Leagues Cup, reached the final of the Champions Cup, and like Miami, fell short in the playoffs. Also, like Miami, the Crew is in a bit of a slump, heading into this game on a five-game winless streak with four ties and a loss. Columbus is in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with 28 points. Inter Miami is in sixth place with 26 points and has a game in hand on the top nine teams in the conference. Advertisement A victory Saturday would allow Miami to leapfrog the Crew in the standings. 'We want to play a good game Saturday, reinforce what we did against Montreal and improve in the areas we need to improve,' Mascherano said. 'We know we are facing, in my opinion, the best team in MLS, without a doubt. They have a coach who has a very clear style and does it very well. It is important for us to neutralize them and not let them play their game and control the game and win it.' Miami beat Columbus 1-0 on the road April 10 on a goal by Cremaschi. The Crew plays a possession-style attack, as does Miami, and is getting adjusted to playing without Cucho Hernandez, who left for Spanish club Real Betis. Daniel Gazdag, a designated player who joined Columbus from Philadelphia, remains scoreless through his first eight games with the Crew and has no assists. Advertisement Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari signed a contract extension through 2026 on Thursday. The 38-year-old Argentine is a locker room leader and has tried to keep the team calm during the ups and downs. 'I see the stats floating around and what people are saying,' Ustari said. 'But if you really calculate, our situation is not that bad. It's true when you have Messi on your team, the expectations are going to be extremely high. But we have done a lot of things very well. There is more that we've done well than what we haven't. Yes, we have things to improve, but we are still a growing team with a lot of young players.' Angel Di Maria was not an option for Inter Miami Many Inter Miami fans hoped that Argentine great Angel Di Maria would join Messi at Inter Miami, but Mascherano, who was also Di Maria's longtime teammate with the national team, said he knew that was never an option. Advertisement Di Maria, 37, announced this week that he was leaving Portuguese club Benfica and returning to his boyhood club Rosario Central in Argentina. 'I am friends with him, and I knew there was no chance he was coming to Miami because he wanted to go home,' Mascherano said. 'It was a decision he made a long time ago. You have to understand that when you spend many, many years away from home, it is normal to want to return home and be with your loved ones. Especially in his case, with a chance to return to his club, where it all began. 'He wanted to finish his career in Central, so I am very happy for him.'
CTV News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Messi scores twice, assists in Miami's 4-2 win over Montreal
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) reacts after scoring a goal during the first half of an MLS soccer match against CF Montreal, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi scored twice and had an assist, and Inter Miami broke out of its slump with a 4-2 rout of Montreal on Wednesday night. Messi scored in the 27th and 87th minutes and set up Luis Suárez's goal with some nice dribbling in the 68th. Suárez added another in the 71st. The win gave Messi's slumping Inter Miami team just its second victory in its past eight matches. Miami last won on May 3, going 0-2-2 since then and dropping to sixth in the Eastern Conference. It has been a surprising plunge for a team that went 22-4-8 during the regular season in 2024 to set MLS records for points (74) and winning percentage (.765) and captured the Supporters Shield. In its last match, Miami rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie Philadelphia, and that momentum carried over against Montreal, which is last in the Eastern Conference with just one win this season. Messi's first goal on Wednesday was set up by Sergio Busquets, who delivered a pass to his former Barcelona teammate and set the screen that freed up Messi for his seventh goal of the MLS season. Messi then linked up with Suárez to give Miami a two-goal cushion midway through the second half, and iced the win on a pass from Suárez just before the end of regulation. It was a much needed goal for Suárez, who finished last season tied for the second-most goals in MLS (20) but had just two goals entering Wednesday's match. Dante Sealy and Victor Loturi scored for Montreal. It was also the offensive performance Miami needed before it begins Club World Cup play. The Herons have another MLS match at home on Saturday against Columbus before their first contest of the tournament against Al Ahly of Egypt on June 14. This report by The Associated Press was first published on May 28, 2025. Alanis Thames, The Associated Press
CBS News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Messi scores twice, assists in Miami's 4-2 win over Montreal
Lionel Messi scored twice and had an assist, and Inter Miami broke out of its slump with a 4-2 rout of Montreal on Wednesday night. Messi scored in the 27th and 87th minutes and set up Luis Suárez's goal with some nice dribbling in the 68th. Suárez added another in the 71st. The win gave Messi's slumping Inter Miami team just its second victory in its past eight matches. Miami last won on May 3, going 0-2-2 since then and dropping to sixth in the Eastern Conference. It has been a surprising plunge for a team that went 22-4-8 during the regular season in 2024 to set MLS records for points (74) and winning percentage (.765) and captured the Supporters Shield. In its last match, Miami rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie Philadelphia, and that momentum carried over against Montreal, which is last in the Eastern Conference with just one win this season. Messi's first goal on Wednesday was set up by Sergio Busquets, who delivered a pass to his former Barcelona teammate and set the screen that freed up Messi for his seventh goal of the MLS season. Messi then linked up with Suárez to give Miami a two-goal cushion midway through the second half, and iced the win on a pass from Suárez just before the end of regulation. It was a much needed goal for Suárez, who finished last season tied for the second-most goals in MLS (20) but had just two goals entering Wednesday's match. Dante Sealy and Victor Loturi scored for Montreal. It was also the offensive performance Miami needed before it begins Club World Cup play. The Herons have another MLS match at home on Saturday against Columbus before their first contest of the tournament against Al Ahly of Egypt on June 14.
Globe and Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Messi scores twice, assists in Miami's 4-2 win over Montreal
Lionel Messi scored twice and had an assist, and Inter Miami broke out of its slump with a 4-2 rout of Montreal on Wednesday night. Messi scored in the 27th and 87th minutes and set up Luis Suarez's goal with some nice dribbling in the 68th. Suarez added another in the 71st. The win gave Messi's slumping Inter Miami team just its second victory in its past eight matches. Miami last won on May 3, going 0-2-2 since then and dropping to sixth in the Eastern Conference. It has been a surprising plunge for a team that went 22-4-8 during the regular season in 2024 to set MLS records for points (74) and winning percentage (.765) and captured the Supporters Shield. In its last match, Miami rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie Philadelphia, and that momentum carried over against Montreal, which is last in the Eastern Conference with just one win this season. Messi's first goal on Wednesday was set up by Sergio Busquets, who delivered a pass to his former Barcelona teammate and set the screen that freed up Messi for his seventh goal of the MLS season. Messi then linked up with Suarez to give Miami a two-goal cushion midway through the second half, and iced the win on a pass from Suarez just before the end of regulation. It was a much needed goal for Suarez, who finished last season tied for the second-most goals in MLS (20) but had just two goals entering Wednesday's match. Dante Sealy and Victor Loturi scored for Montreal. It was also the offensive performance Miami needed before it begins Club World Cup play. The Herons have another MLS match at home on Saturday against Columbus before their first contest of the tournament against Al Ahly of Egypt on June 14.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Messi scores twice, assists in Miami's 4-2 win over Montreal
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi scored twice and had an assist, and Inter Miami broke out of its slump with a 4-2 rout of Montreal on Wednesday night. Messi scored in the 27th and 87th minutes and set up Luis Suárez's goal with some nice dribbling in the 68th. Suárez added another in the 71st. The win gave Messi's slumping Inter Miami team just its second victory in its past eight matches. Miami last won on May 3, going 0-2-2 since then and dropping to sixth in the Eastern Conference. It has been a surprising plunge for a team that went 22-4-8 during the regular season in 2024 to set MLS records for points (74) and winning percentage (.765) and captured the Supporters Shield. In its last match, Miami rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie Philadelphia, and that momentum carried over against Montreal, which is last in the Eastern Conference with just one win this season. Messi's first goal on Wednesday was set up by Sergio Busquets, who delivered a pass to his former Barcelona teammate and set the screen that freed up Messi for his seventh goal of the MLS season. Messi then linked up with Suárez to give Miami a two-goal cushion midway through the second half, and iced the win on a pass from Suárez just before the end of regulation. It was a much needed goal for Suárez, who finished last season tied for the second-most goals in MLS (20) but had just two goals entering Wednesday's match. Dante Sealy and Victor Loturi scored for Montreal. It was also the offensive performance Miami needed before it begins Club World Cup play. The Herons have another MLS match at home on Saturday against Columbus before their first contest of the tournament against Al Ahly of Egypt on June 14. ___ AP soccer:
