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Inter Miami ace Lionel Messi has praised teammate Rodrigo De Paul for his performance in their Leagues Cup opener against Atlas FC. The Argentine midfielder made his debut for the Herons as they claimed a 2-1 win over the Liga MX side at home.
Messi spoke with reporters after the game, praising De Paul for the quality he brought to the team. He also hailed the midfielder for his enthusiasm and the spirit he brought into their camp since joining from Atletico Madrid. He said (via @Intermiamicfhub):
“Great. We’ve known each other for a long time and played many matches together. Honestly, he brings a lot of quality to the team. He arrived with incredible spirit, very enthusiastic, and without even training with us, he played the entire game — which shows his incredible quality.”
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De Paul was signed on an initial six-month loan from Atletico Madrid, which will be made permanent at the end of the year for a reported €15 million. The 31-year-old was unveiled in July and was in attendance as Inter Miami played out a goalless draw against FC Cincinnati.
Lionel Messi's Argentina teammate De Paul was unable to train with his new club during the week, as he had not been cleared to join them. His clearance came only hours before the game against Atlas, and he featured for the full 90 minutes against the Mexican side.
De Paul completed 54 passes in the game, more than any player on either side, with an accuracy of 93%. He created three chances and one big chance, and made eight recoveries in midfield.
Lionel Messi inspires Inter Miami to Leagues Cup win
Lionel Messi marked his return to action for Inter Miami with two assists to lead them to a 2-1 win over Atlas in their Leagues Cup clash. The 38-year-old returned from a one-match ban to provide the spark for the Herons as they ran out with a hard-earned win at home.
Fresh from missing the FC Cincinnati game through suspension, Messi set up Telasco Segovia for a simple tap-in to open the scoring after 58 minutes. The Herons were pegged back by their Mexican opponents, with Rivaldo Lozano drawing them level in the 80th minute.
Lionel Messi set up defender Marcelo Weigandt to score the winner deep into stoppage time, with the VAR confirming the strike after a check. Inter Miami will now face Necaxa, another Mexican side, in their second group game on Sunday, August 3.
