If at some point watching a game in
Tokyo
was getting up early to see the goals of the kid
Maradona
, the passes of
Bochini
, the elegance of
Enzo
or the magic of
Román
, waking up this Thursday the 7th at 7 to see
Inter Miami
playing a
friendly
against Vissel
Kobe
loomed as a major challenge for any true soccer fan.
But
Messi
played .
Better said, was Messi playing?
That was the question that was asked in the capital of
Japan
and crossed the globe to Argentina, where there is some
uncertainty
about the physique of the captain of the National Team in the face of the imminent calendar of tough competition for the best in the world.
His right adductor discomfort is so serious that last Sunday he faced the snub of leaving
40,000 Chinese
who filled a stadium to see him on the field in excitement, but he showed up in sneakers and a cotton T-shirt.
The disappointment passed from the stands to the event's producer, and from there to the
Hong Kong
government , which complained publicly.
"It's football stuff, I wanted to be there," Leo responded a few days later.
However, this tour designed by Beckham, with the endorsement of 10, was much more than football, as was demonstrated in every movement of the pink team off the fields,
through Saudi Arabia, China and now Japan
.
Business profits and future investments are measured in hundreds of millions of dollars, although these trips always have their costs.
The machine is forced, night and day, and Leo's right adductor began to show signs of wear too early in the year;
Hence
Tata Martino
's obsession with taking care of his jewel while he tries to put together a team that dominates in the United States, something that he already knew how to do and in spades, without so many heavy names.
Tata Martino, facing a great challenge.
Photo: AP Photo / Eugene Hoshiko.
The disapproval in Hong Kong was so great that the public in Tokyo ended up enjoying a few minutes of Leo in
a match that even the TV did not want to show
.
The AppleTV+ signal was going to broadcast it exclusively on its paid platform but it was lowered at the last minute due to technical complications and was broadcast on the Inter Miami website, free through
YouTube
and with ambient sound.
The one who turned off the computer when it ended 0-0 didn't even realize that it was decided by penalties, and a key piece of information was lost.
It was cold in Tokyo, about 5 degrees, and Messi took the field as a substitute, puffed up under a jacket but
with his boots on
.
That was the first sign that he would play;
The second one came from him when he ran to the locker room when he was about to finish the first half.
🌎🇯🇵⚽️
Lionel Messi takes the field for Inter Miami against Vissel Kobe on Wednesday evening in Japan.
pic.twitter.com/UizKmRC2kK
— Aaron Busch (@tripperhead) February 7, 2024
He came on 14 minutes into the second half, saw a spectacular overhead kick from Luis Suárez
up close
that almost went into the corner, and had a very clear chance to score in which he defined as if the MLS were putting a dent in his killer instinct within the area: first to the goalkeeper's body and then bitten, from the right, so that it can be taken by a defender on the line.
Beyond the leading role of Leo and his supporting actors, Suárez, Busquets (he was injured very early) and Jordi Alba,
the show in Japan was put together by Martino
, with his screams exposed to silence and microphones.
"Take the ball away, damn it!" He complained at one point, seeing the doubts of some of his players.
pic.twitter.com/Ly859r18dN
— Messi Xtra (@M30Xtra) February 7, 2024
Inter Miami is a team without balance: those who play well give an advantage physically, those who run... Here's an example: Robert Taylor, that Finn with great goals, doesn't use his left leg.
And the American kids have heart but they need two, three and even four touches to control the ball, and on top of that they almost always make bad decisions.
"You have to make that pass!" Tata celebrated when one of the centre-backs looked low, strong and on the foot for Suárez, who turned masterfully and was left with half the field free to go to the opposing goal.
There the story turned: he ran out of gas and a Japanese man overtook him with a single stride.
The Uruguayan is going to have a hard time breaking into the Yankee code:
"Get down, you idiot, get out..."
he complained to a teammate who didn't dare to make a foul.
Inter Miami could have lost it, especially in a play in the first half when the ball hit the post twice.
And
Drake Callender
, the one who saves him almost always, once again pulled off one of those one-on-one that his defenders usually give.
The club is so close to Disney that the kids in the back seem to catch it.
Messi, a magnet for Japanese players.
Photo: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko.
The penalties arrived that no one expected and then the bombshell: Messi did not kick, which reaffirms that the discomfort in his leg is a serious cause for concern, which will have to be closely monitored for what is to come.
Leo was not among the five selected and he did not step forward when it was time for him to be a sixth.
There appeared
Gregore
, a practically unknown Brazilian, who delivered the last shot into the hands of substitute goalkeeper
Shota Arai
, who at 38 years old and with several gray hairs in his hair, took the ball and an unforgettable anecdote home.
ضاعت pic.twitter.com/13T8UHIr9V
— Messi Xtra (@M30Xtra) February 7, 2024
The one that also returns home with a full suitcase is Inter Miami, which in addition to Saudi riyals, dollars and yen, carries several concerns.
The poor results are one, especially the 0-6 beating against Al Nassr, which brought the MLS to its knees before the Arab sheikhs.
The lack of team chemistry could be another.
But there is one more that directly affects the Argentines, knowing how Messi's right leg is evolving.