Inter Miami head coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino explained how Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets have elevated the levels of their teammates following their 4-0 triumph over Atlanta United.
Messi put on a clinic in his first start for the Herons, tallying two goals and an assist as his side punched their ticket to the round of 32 in the 2023 Leagues Cup. While Messi - and Busquets, of course - will steal the headlines, what shouldn't go unnoticed is how their Miami teammates have improved in such a short amount of time.
For example, Robert Taylor had scored only five goals before Messi's arrival in Miami, and now he's scored three goals in the last two games - one against Cruz Azul and two against Atlanta. With Messi and Busquets shouldering more of the pressure and attention, it's allowed many other Miami players to play more freely and without as much pressure.
"The first impact that the footballers have, the arrival of Leo and the arrival of Busi [Busquets], I think it has given [teammates] a lot of confidence," Martino said. "They feel more supported, they feel that the responsibility is carried by the great players. And then they feel more liberated to play.
"The team passes the ball well, circulates the ball well. There's times when the coach prepares a certain game in a certain way. But these two players are so good at what they do that they create space."
Martino added: "The great change that Leo has had, having taken off a great weight that he had on his shoulders, he has done it with the Argentine national team in the last two years and that shows in everything: in his day-to-day life, in his statements, in his way of facing each of the games. He is a very free player, and undoubtedly for a player of such caliber, being free involves starting to see much more of these types of performances."
While making the MLS playoffs may seem like a steep challenge for Inter Miami at the moment, they currently have an opportunity to take home two pieces of silverware in Messi's first season. If they continue their current run of form, they could make a deep run in the Leagues Cup, and the Herons are in the US Open Cup semifinals and will face FC Cincinnati on August 23.
As for now, Martino, Messi, and Miami will set their sights on preparing for their next Leagues Cup opponent, which will be whichever team finishes second in the South 2 group - one of Houston Dynamo, Santos Laguna, or Orlando City.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Gerardo 'Tata' Martino: Messi helps Miami teammates feel 'more liberated'.