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Inter Miami head coach Guillermo Hoyos refused to answer if Argentine legend Lionel Messi will feature in the clash against Nashville on Saturday, saying that after the demise of his father, it is upto to him to dictate his schedule and for him currently, "silence, calm and peace" are the best.
Messi made a return to the pitch, but Inter Miami crashed out of the Leagues Cup with a 2-3 loss to Leon on Wednesday. Messi, who lost his father, Jorge (68) on Tuesday, was not part of the starting line-up as Leon faced Inter Miami at their home venue. With the side leading 1-0 at the half-time, Messi was brought in as a substitute for Daniel Pinter, who had put the home side in the lead, as per ESPN. Jorge died Saturday at a hospital in Rosario, and Messi had travelled to Rosario via plane on Saturday, having attended a private memorial service. Ahead of the crucial Major League Soccer (MLS) clash, the Inter Miami manager said, as quoted by Goal.com, "I think Leo's situation needs to keep developing little by little because there's a lot of pain there. This is not something that happens from one day to the next. So I think silence, calm and peace are what's best, and for him to find his own moments," he added. After his father's demise, the club is carefully managing Messi's on-field return and wants to give the superstar the time he needs to grieve alongside his family. Hoyos Hoyos offered a heartfelt personal reflection on Messi, saying that he is a "wonderful human being with a wonderful family". "We have to support him always within that silence, which for me is an ally so he can come out of this," he added. "But he truly is a wonderful human being with a wonderful family. I want to make that very clear, because people like that aren't common in this world," he said. After the match against Nashville, the club will travel to face the Philadelphia Union on August 19, then host Toronto FC on August 22 and CF Montreal on August 29. These fixtures are crucial for Messi's team's bid for Supporters' Shield and push to the top of the MLS table. Currently, they are in second spot with 11 wins in 18 games, including five draws and two losses, giving them 38 points. They are two points below Nashville, who have 12 wins in 18 games, including four draws and two losses, giving them 40 points. (ANI)
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