Miami (AFP) – Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano says Luis Suarez has benefitted from his enforced break as the Uruguayan returns from a three-match ban ahead of a key Major League Soccer Eastern Conference clash with New York City FC. Suarez was suspended for spitting at a member of the Seattle Sounders staff following Inter’s 3-0 loss in the Leagues Cup final on August 31. He’ll return on Wednesday, when NYCFC host Inter at Citi Field, home of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets.
“Luis is a player who, throughout his career, is used to playing,” Mascherano said Tuesday. “So I imagine he is highly motivated and excited to play again.” He’s trained with the team all this time,” Mascherano added. “Some days, especially before matches when training is maybe a little short he does something more, but Luis had been accumulating many, many matches, so the rest has been good for him.”
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Inter go into Wednesday’s contest in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, one point behind fourth-placed NYCFC, who clinched an MLS Cup playoff berth at the weekend. Miami have two games in hand on City and three in hand over the top three teams in the East — Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Charlotte. The top four finishers in the conference will have home field advantage in the playoffs.
Inter are coming off a 3-2 victory over DC United on Saturday in which Argentine superstar Lionel Messi scored twice and delivered an assist. Messi shares the lead in the race for the Golden Boot with Los Angeles FC’s Denis Bouanga, both with 22 goals.
Mascherano reflected Tuesday on the form of the 38-year-old great, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner who is poised to sign a contract extension that would keep him in Miami at least through next year. “It’s hard to choose one version of Leo,” Mascherano said. “He’s a player who seems to make time stand still and continues to make a difference game after game. If there’s something he has shown throughout his career it’s the ability to constantly reinvent himself and add new things to his game — as if he ever needed to.”
© 2024 AFP
