“When we have Leo, every team plays against us like a final” - Inter Miami star makes Lionel Messi claim before New York Red Bulls clash

Inter Miami defender Marcelo Weigandt has spoken about how Lionel Messi impacts the psyche of opposition players before games. The Argentine defender was one of the players brought in by the MLS outfit to add depth to their squad for the 2024 season.

Gerardo Martino has overseen a great change in the fortunes of Inter Miami over the past year or so, taking them from the bottom of the MLS to the top. A lot of the plaudits must go the way of Messi, whose arrival from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has borne great fruits on and off the pitch for the club.

An eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, Lionel Messi has been one of the best players in the MLS since he signed for Inter Miami. Despite numerous injury problems, the 36-year-old has helped the Herons win a first-ever trophy and has them on top of the Eastern Conference standings.

The Herons have dealt impressively in the transfer market, signing top-class free agents like Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets. They have also made good use of the loan market, which enabled them to bring in Argentine right-back Weigandt from Boca Juniors.

Weigandt has revealed that the result of Lionel Messi's effect on the team is that opponents now treat games against the Herons like finals. He said this in a media briefing ahead of their preparation for the weekend's game against the New York Red Bulls.

"We expect them to play the same intense way. When we have Leo, every team plays against us like it were a final. And we have to play every game like it's a final to try if we want to achieve what we aspire to. But the team looks good, we're happy and we work hard throughout the week."

Weigandt has featured five times in the MLS this season and has impressed since making his debut for the Herons.

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Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi wins MLS award

Lionel Messi has been named as the MLS Player of the Month for April after a string of impressive displays for Inter Miami. The Argentine forward has returned from injury with a bang, helping his side to a three-point lead atop the Eastern Conference standings.

Messi returned to action on April 6 following a hamstring injury that kept him out for over a month. He wasted no time to get back on the scoresheet, scoring in his return against Colorado Rapids.

The 36-year-old finished the month with six goals and four assists in only four games as the Herons went through the month undefeated. He has continued the streak of Inter Miami players winning the award after Luis Suarez won it for both February and March.