Weekly Summary, 8.6 (Sports1)
Lionel Messi's arrival at Inter Miami of MLS drove the entire football world crazy and especially raised many questions about the ambitions of the flea and the team for the coming years. As it stands, the East Coast team is ranked 15th and last with only 5 wins, an unconsolidated roster and an unimpressive performance to say the least.
The arrival of the world champion may cause the club's leaders, along with David Beckham, to open the pocket and convince many stars to join the team's fascinating project. A number of interesting names have already surfaced and many rumors have been reported about reunions in Miami with some surprising names for the constellation that may wear pink and black next season.
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Will Barcelona's last two captains reunite in the United States? Busquets and Messi (Photo by Getty Images, David S. Bustamante/Soccrates)
Sergio Busquets
After 15 years in the first team, the outgoing Barcelona captain will no longer wear the Blaugrana uniform when his contract with the Catalan club expires. Busquets has already received many offers since leaving Barcelona including Paris Saint-Germain, teams from Saudi Arabia and now Inter Miami have also entered the picture, especially after the Flea joined. Last season, the midfielder made 42 appearances for the Blaugrana, contributed 4 assists and won the Spanish championship back to the club. The Spaniard played 566 games with Messi for Barcelona and together they cooked up 23 goals for each other.
The good friends want to play together again. Suarez and Messi (Photo: Reuters)
Luis Suarez
The Uruguayan has a one-year contract with Brazilian side Gremio, contributing 24 goals and 11 assists in 8 games so far in what appears to be a move from which the mighty striker was delighted when he added: "It's impossible for me to move to Inter Miami, I have a contract until 2024 here." According to reports in Argentina, one of the things that convinced the Flea to join the project in the United States was a promise that his career friends would join him for the final years of his career, and Suárez is one of the best and most successful of them. Together at Barcelona they played 258 matches, won the club's last Champions League to date and cooked for each other 99 times in one of the most successful collaborations in European football in recent years.
Achieve the World Cup together. Di Maria and Messi (Photo: Reuters)
Angel Di Maria
'The Itria' played one season at Juventus with a free move the previous summer from Paris Saint-Germain, but a year later not much changed in Di Maria's club career as he terminated his contract and parted ways with the Old Lady. The winger's next stop may be the last of his career, as at the age of 35 he stands at a crossroads – a return to Benfica, where he started his run in Europe, or a comfortable move to Inter Miami and the restoration of the collaboration with Messi since the two played together at Paris Saint-Germain. The duo, who still played together from the young ages of the Argentina national team to winning the Copa America and the World Cup, of course, may collaborate one last time, in the United States.
Will come back to cook for him in Miami? Alba and Messi (Photo: Reuters)
Jordi Alba
Messi and Alba's pairing was one of the largest ever between a defender and an attacking player with 34 assists coming from each other for Barcelona. The left-back, who spent 11 years at the Catalan club, left without compensation along with his friend Busquets earlier this month, and now, at the age of 34, is expected to leave Europe for the first time with a new hand. Initial reports suggested joining a project in Saudi Arabia, as Karim Benzema and Angolo Kante have done so far in the summer, but Alba would love to collaborate once again with the Flea. Last season he lost his place more to Alejandro Balde, but one of the greatest cooks in history has a defensive position and in general, there may be more to offer, especially in a team that needs such reinforcement as Inter Miami.
Who will surround the flea in Miami? Messi (Photo: Image processing, from Twitter)
Messi's start in the United States may not be until late July, perhaps in a League Cup match against Atlanta, or a few days later, depending on Inter Miami's results in the tournament. If that doesn't happen in the League Cup, the next MLS game won't be until August 21, against Charlotte.
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Tags
- Lionel Messi
- Inter Miami
- Sergio Busquets
- Jordi Alba
- Antoine Griezmann
- Angel Di Maria
