Tata Martino has hinted that Luis Suarez’s influence at Inter Miami could be as big as Lionel Messi’s after Saturday’s heroics.
The Uruguay international came off the bench to score two goals to secure a 3-1 win for the Herons away to DC United, with Lionel Messi missing the game due to a leg injury.
The first time Inter Miami have won without Messi in their squad in months, Suarez’s impact was nothing short of influential, with the 37-year-old showing why he is one of the most dangerous players in MLS.
Tata Martino lauds Luis Suarez’s impact on raising Inter Miami’s levels
And speaking to the Athletic after the match, Martino indicated that Suarez’s influence on the pitch gave Inter Miami confidence to increase their levels to win against DC United, something Messi has done for the Herons.
Inter Miami are transformed whenever Messi is on the pitch, and having another player like that in Suarez could be a vital tool for the Florida franchise in their quest to win everything this season.
Martino said when asked about Suarez’s impact off the bench: “The important thing is what we see in him and the confidence he gives us and his teammates.
“Obviously externally people will talk [about his fitness and health], and some of those people’s concerns are valid. But those people are not close to the player week to week.”
Luis Suarez can be as important for the Herons than Lionel Messi
Messi is clearly Inter Miami’s biggest and best star, with the Argentine bringing an aura to the squad no player in the history of soccer can ever bring to a side.
Yet in MLS, such a title isn’t what’s needed to get a result, and that’s where Suarez’s influence can come in handy for Inter Miami, especially when Messi is out on the treatment table.
As we know, the attacker is one of the greatest goalscorers in the 21st century, and Suarez’s own impact can be enough to help raise the Heron’s levels to an extent where they can win key games on the road.