Update from Inter Miami training camp, including latest on Lionel Messi sweepstakes
Messi #Messi
The Lionel Messi sweepstakes continues, as reports from France and Argentina on Wednesday said Paris Saint- Germain has offered the 35-year-old Argentine star an extension through the next Copa America, which is being held in the summer of 2024 in the United States.
Messi’s contract with PSG expires in June and he has not yet revealed his future plans. Inter Miami has been in talks with Messi about joining the MLS club, and FC Barcelona, where he spent most of his career, is also in the conversations.
Meanwhile, Inter Miami continues to prepare for the 2023 season, which kicks off Feb. 25 at home against CF Montreal.
The team returned to training in Fort Lauderdale Tuesday after spending four days in Sarasota last week, where it played a closed-door preseason game against the New England Revolution.
Recent signees Josef Martinez, Franco Negri, Nico Stefanelli and Serhiy Kryvtsov all played and are starting to mesh with the group. The squad is nearly fully fit with the return of midfielders Jean Mota and Bryce Duke.
The trip to Sarasota helped with team bonding, players said.
“There’s just a few new players, but we still have our core from last year and we had really good chemistry so it’s easy for these guys to come in and be part of that and we got to spend more time together,” said Christopher McVey, who will shift from left back to his natural position of center back this season as Negri is slated to start on the left.
Negri is a tough-nosed defender but also likes to push up in the attack on the left side, giving Miami another offensive weapon.
McVey said he is already feeling comfortable alongside Ukrainian center back Kryvstsov, as they both come from the European style of play.
“I played next to Franco and Serhiy, they’ve been adapting really good,” McVey said. “Serhiy has been in the top leagues in Europe, playing Champions League, so obviously he’s a bit older than me so there’s probably a lot I can learn from him, also. You can tell he understands the game and is a very smart player.”
Mota is pleased with how the midfield looks thus far and feels Stefanelli and Rodolfo Pizarro can fill in for the loss of Alejandro Pozuelo, whose contract expired and was not renewed.
“Little by little we are connecting more,” Mota said. “Nico is very versatile, can play forward, in the middle, on the flanks, he can shoot from long distance. He is different from Pozuelo. He looks to score more goals and Pozuelo was more of a passer, facilitator who looked for assists. Pizarro is another player who is training well, focused, experienced, and can play the 10 position like Pozuelo did.”
McVey feels the team is “way ahead” of where it was last year at this point in the preseason, largely because last year there a roster overhaul with 18 new players.
Miami will play closed door scrimmages against the Columbus Crew (Feb. 11) and CF Montreal (Feb. 15). Its final preseason game Feb. 18 against Austin FC will be open to fans as part of the “Futbol Fiesta” fan fest. The game begins at 4 p.m. and season ticket members are invited to a post-game meet and greet with the players. Tickets are available at intermiamicf.com
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