Inter Miami’s celebratory night for Messi was spoiled as the Herons fell 2-1 to a tough NYCFC side.
Miami rolled out the gold carpet for the Argentine in front of a rambunctious crowd that was desperately awaiting a glimpse of the Ballon d’Or.
The pre-match ceremony was enthralling, with Messi stepping out of the locker room with his award in hand. What followed was a touching speech from the World Cup winner before the men in pink hit the pitch.
“I’ve been here a short period, but it feels like a long time,” the Miami captain said. “I have no doubts that next year is going to be even better,” he continued.
On the field, however, the good vibes from Messi’s speech didn’t translate over. Miami dominated possession early, but they weren’t active in the final third as much as they’d like. Eventually, their ball dominance fell flat as NYCFC scored two unanswered goals in the 43rd and 48th minutes.
Miami would grab one back through Robbie Robinson in the closing stages of the match, but it wasn’t enough to draw the game.
The Herons will now relax for the rest of the year before returning to Inter Miami’s training facilities on January 10th, 2024.
Tata Martino on Inter Miami’s 2024 roster plans
After the match, Miami manager Tata Martino spoke candidly to the press about the club’s off-season plans and assessed the state of the team: “We have to be precise. I’m conscious of the fact when you want to improve the team, you have to take risks. For what lies ahead, it’s evident we need to improve.”
The 60-year-old continued, touching on the team’s back line and giving the media a hint on potential tactics: “The team seems to be more solid with a line of five. This is something we will improve on over the off-season.”
Based on Martino’s comments, Miami may shift to a back five next year. Additionally, the Miami manager confirmed that the club is waiting for the Brazilian Serie A to finish before bringing Luis Suárez to the organization: “We’re waiting for the Brasileiro to finish.”
All in all, though the performance on the field was lackadaisical, 2023’s off-season will be one where Miami heavily revamps its squad.