Despite the rocky end to the 2023 season, Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino regrets nothing and would do it all over again.
Miami ended the year with a 1-0 loss away at Charlotte FC, sending the club into an early off-season. The Herons failed to make the playoffs even after winning their first trophy in team history with the Leagues Cup this summer.
On their way to the title, led by Lionel Messi, the South Florida club outscored opponents 22 to 11, showcasing their potent attacking form.
Unfortunately, that scintillating offense would dip in the latter half of the year as they failed to win a single match out of their last seven games, including the season finale vs. Charlotte.
Speaking to the media after the loss, Martino stated he doesn’t regret a single moment: “We suffered a decline at the end of the season due to exhaustion from the number of matches we had to play, which is not an excuse, but the reality. But if someone had told me before I signed here that we would win one of the three trophies, I would have signed with my eyes closed.”
Inter Miami shifts to 2024
The Herons ended the year on a sour note.
The hype surrounding signing Messi and winning the Leagues Cup was, apparently, too bright to handle for the Florida-based team, and ultimately their play on the field suffered because they couldn’t continue the momentum.
As the team pivots to the highly anticipated 2024 season, several roster moves will be made in order to make the team competitive.
According to rumors, and Martino himself, Miami will more than likely be after the services of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez. With Josef Martinez set to leave the team, Miami will want to replace the Venezuelan with Suarez, a player that Messi knows well.
Additionally, the club will need to freshen up its back line to support Miami’s electric attack.
All in all, Miami will come back even better for next season.