“I do see myself like that” – Inter Miami star offers confident response to Lionel Messi comparisons 

Inter Miami midfielder Facundo Farias recently opened up about comparisons with teammate Lionel Messi and addressed what it's like to play alongside the Argentine icon.

Farias drew comparisons to Messi when he was used in the number 10 position during the latter's absence owing to injury. So far this season, the 21-year-old has bagged three goals and an assist in the MLS after 10 appearances.

Speaking in an interview with The Athletic, Farias said about being an inspiration like his 36-year-old colleague (via GOAL):

"I do see myself like that. There’s always a dream that’s out there to be fulfilled. I wanted to be a footballer. I knew that I’d give everything to become one. If you have a dream, chase it with everything you have. Even if you don’t reach that dream, know that you gave it all. Being persistent and humble can take you really far in life."

Messi himself has been extremely influential since joining the Herons this summer, bagging 11 goals and five assists from 13 appearances across all competitions. On the Barcelona legend, Farias added:

"You have to enjoy [Messi] as much as you can. He’s the best in the game. He proved that. So just enjoy him and learn from him whenever possible. It’s a unique situation to be next to him. He’s a great teammate and he’s so important to us."

Messi helped Inter Miami win the Leagues Cup, the club's first-ever trophy since its inception in 2018. During the tournament, the ex-Paris Saint-Germain forward scored 10 goals and assisted one in seven appearances.

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Barcelona not interested in signing Lionel Messi in January - Reports

Lionel Messi (via Getty Images)

Fresh reports have suggested that Lionel Messi is not subject to the interest of his former club, Barcelona, after links of his potential return on loan to the Blaugrana in January.

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Messi will not return to the club he spent 17 long years, during which he bagged 672 goals and 303 assists from 778 appearances.

The 36-year-old's links to Barcelona stems from the fact that Inter Miami will not be in action until late February, allowing Messi to complete a short loan spell elsewhere.

It will be interesting to see whether the La Liga outfit attempt to sign the Argentine skipper amid reported interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia. At this stage, the loan deal seems unlikely.