Inter Miami boss Gerardo Martino has encouraged his squad, and particularly the younger players, to enjoy playing alongside the trio of superstars who have recently joined.
Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets all arrived to much fanfare this summer, and are already making a huge impact both on and off the pitch, with Messi and Busquets helping the side end their winless run with two victories in a row.
Playing with such high-profile stars may be both exciting and daunting for the rest of the Miami squad, with the ex-Barcelona trio aiming to raise standards at the club, and Martino has called on his players to embrace the challenge.
“It is important to see how they are adapting themselves to the fact of playing with these three footballers of this caliber, who played for a team that – in my opinion – changed the game of soccer, and they were key players in that team,” Martino stated.
“This could be a heavy weight for these players, especially the younger players, or they can take advantage of this and grow next to the three of them. What we have seen is that they are growing.
“They are not in the shadows of the three players. No, they’re willing to thrive and to grow and to learn with these three guys and their experience.”
The Barcelona reunion
Messi arrived after an unenjoyable two years at Paris Saint-Germain, following his outstanding career at Barcelona.
This move has seen him link up with his old teammates in Busquets and Alba, and there has also been talk of Luis Suarez coming to join.
Messi’s arrival has made a big impact on the team and the MLS as a whole, with other big names now potentially following him to the USA from Europe, and this could bode well both commercially and on the pitch.