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Inter Miami fans have expressed their dissatisfaction with the players selected to play alongside captain Lionel Messi in their MLS meeting with Columbus Crew. The Herons will be aiming to claim top spot in the Eastern Conference when they face leaders Crew at their FirstEnergy Stadium home.
Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates are winless in their last two MLS games, drawing to Toronto FC and Chicago Fire. They have won just one of their last four games in all competitions, and are keen to get out of their mini-slump at the earliest opportunity.
Manager Javier Mascherano has made four changes to the XI that played out a goalless draw against Chicago Fire last week. The Argentine tactician has brought in the quartet of Marcelo Weigandt, Yannick Bright, Jordi Alba, and Tadeo Allende. In their place, Tomas Aviles, Maximiliano Falcon, and Telasco Segovia have dropped to the bench, with Federico Redondo missing out entirely.
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The selection has been met by annoyance from some of the club's fans, leading them to share their thoughts on X. A fan questioned the decision to drop Venezuelan midfielder Segovia, declaring that they were annoyed at Mascherano.
"Why has Segovia been dropped!? This Mascherano is really starting to annoy me", they complained.
Another fan knocked the manager for failing to rotate his squad.
"Mascherano is allergic to rotation", they wrote.
A fan showed their displeasure at the inclusion of two players.
"Cremaschi and Weigandt😒", they posted.
Another fan asked why Weigandt and not Falcon was starting for the side.
"Why is that bum weigandt starting? And why is Falcon benched?", they asked.
A fan pointed out that Cremaschi should not be starting games and should only come off the bench.
"Cremaschi is a sub when there's nobody else left on the bench and NOT A STARTER for God sake", they wrote.
Lionel Messi will lead the Herons out against Columbus Crew, as he makes his fifth successive start for the side. He will play alongside Luis Suarez and Tadeo Allende up front and will hope to find the net, having failed to do so against Chicago Fire.
Lionel Messi set for landmark Inter Miami appearance against Columbus Crew
Lionel Messi is set to reach a landmark for Inter Miami when he takes to the field with the rest of his teammates against Columbus Crew. The 37-year-old has been named in the starting XI for the Herons as they look to secure a return to the summit of the Eastern Conference.
Messi will make his 50th appearance for the Herons across all competitions since arriving as a free agent in the summer of 2023. The Argentina international has struggled with various fitness issues in his time with the club, but has become their greatest-ever player.
In his time with Inter Miami so far, Messi has scored 42 goals and provided 20 assists, making him the club's record goalscorer. He has also led the side to the Leagues Cup and Supporters Shield titles, the first two pieces of silverware in their history.
