Tata Martino details the reason to use Lionel Messi as a substitute in Inter Miami's 1-0 win over Toronto

Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino has explained why he opted to start Lionel Messi on the bench during their MLS match against Toronto FC on Saturday, October 5. The Herons clinched a narrow 1-0 win in the fixture at BMO Field.

Having clinched the Supporters' Shield on Thursday (October 3), Tata Martino adopted a pragmatic approach by excluding Lionel Messi from the starting XI to face Toronto FC. The Argentine tactician also rested Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba.

When asked why Messi started the game from the bench, Tata Martino said (via GOAL):

“We made the decision on Friday to rest the players, it made sense after two full games that we make some rotations, and we had players ready to go. We were able to complete our two objectives. One was to give players some rest and also to win the game because of what it means from a motivational standpoint to be in position to break the points record.”

Messi and Busquets were introduced in the 61st minute while Suarez came on in the 71st minute with the scores tied at 0-0. The Uruguayan striker set up Leonardo Campana for the game's only goal.

Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami remain on course to break MLS record points after Toronto win

Inter Miami are on the verge of setting a new points record in Major League Soccer (MLS) following their 1-0 win against Toronto. The Herons extended their lead at the summit of the table as Luis Suarez came off the bench to assist Leonardo Campana, who smashed the ball home in the third minute of second-half stoppage-time. They are currently on 71 points in the MLS Eastern Division, having played 33 matches.

Following their win against Toronto FC, Inter Miami became the fourth team in MLS history to reach 70 points in a single MLS regular season. The Herons joined the New York Red Bulls (71 points in 2018), LAFC (72 points in 2019), and New England Revolution (73 points in 2021) as the only 70-point teams in MLS history.

With one game remaining, Inter Miami could set the record for the most regular season points in MLS history. They will face the New England Revolution in their final league game of the season. A win against Caleb Porter’s men will see them end the season with 74 points, a new league record.