"The quality is still there" - MLS pundit makes bold claims while talking about Lionel Messi and Inter Miami

MLS pundit Sacha Kljestan ravished praise on Inter Miami's squad depth while talking about Tata Martino's decision to bench Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez for the league game against Atlanta United. The two superstars got a breather as Inter Miami drew 2-2 against Atlanta United on September 18 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Tata Martino made eight changes to the starting XI from the side that played against Philadelphia Union on September 15. While Lionel Messi's arrival in the 61st minute made the fans go crazy, it was Inter Miami's supporting cast that took the front seat against Atlanta United.

Speaking on MLS Wrap-Up (via Inter Miami News), Sacha Kljestan explained how Inter Miami's squad depth is helping extract the best out of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

“The depth will take Miami a long way because you get rest for Messi and Suarez, tonight they only played 20 and 30 minutes between the two of them, so now they’re going to be fully rested to go again on Saturday where we will probably see Miami’s best line-up."

“All the best teams in the league, all the best coaches in the league will want to see when they put their depth pieces on the field does it still look like Inter Miami, and for the most part of this season, we can say yes. When they throw players in like Robert Taylor and Cremaschi, does the team still look the same? The quality is still there, yes,” he added.

The Herons are currently leading the MLS Eastern Conference table with 63 points in 29 games (19 wins, six draws, and four losses). With the Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup within their grasp, Tata Martino will look to ensure that Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are fit for the crucial matches.

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Sacha Kljestan once highlighted a key Lionel Messi attribute that gives Inter Miami the edge over other teams

Orlando City SC v Inter Miami CF - Source: Getty

Sacha Kljestan once explained how Lionel Messi's emotional maturity influences his teammates, giving Inter Miami an extra oomph over other teams. Speaking on the MLS Wrap Up, the pundit said:

"Messi, emotionally, is never bothered, you never see much out of him one way or the other, but they’ve gone down and come back to win 27 points from losing positions this season.

“Even if they’re scored on, even if they’re down 2-0 in the second-half, Messi is just focused on getting a goal, getting an assist, setting up a play in the final-third, winning the game. We saw it at the World Cup with Argentina, that emotional maturity and intelligence is putting Inter Miami over the edge on every team in MLS.”

When Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023, they were languishing at the bottom of the MLS table with just 15 points from 16 games. However, his arrival catapulted The Herons into becoming one of the formidable forces in the league.

With Messi in the team, Inter Miami won the 2023 Leagues Cup - the first-ever silverware in the club's history.