Lionel Messi's former Barcelona teammate set to become new Inter Miami head coach: Reports

Lionel Messi's former Barcelona teammate Javier Mascherano is set to become Inter Miami's new head coach, as per reports. He notably played alongside Messi at club level for eight years, winning La Liga five times.

Back in 2020, Mascherano announced his decision to retire from professional football after nearly 20 years in the sport. A year later, in 2021, he was named as the head coach of Argentina's U-20 team, a position he has held ever since.

However, according to transfer market specialist Cesar Luis Merlo, Mascherano has decided on the next step of his coaching career. The exclusive report has revealed that the former Barcelona defender will coach his former teammates at Inter Miami, after Tata Martino's exit from the club.

The report also claims that documents are being exchanged between Mascherano and the Florida-based club, which will see him sign a long-term contract. This season, under Tata Martino's leadership, the Herons won the Supporters' Shield, but failed to clinch the MLS Cup.

Now, the reins are set to be handed to Mascherano, who will be expected to elevate the club's standing from where Martino left things off. Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, and Sergio Busquets are all his former teammates from Barcelona, while Messi also played alongside him in the Argentina national team.

Mascherano will hope this familiarity will lead to impressive results on the pitch.

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Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi set for Barcelona return for 125th anniversary celebrations

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has invited Lionel Messi to the club's 125th anniversary celebrations, which will take place at the Liceu Theater on November 29. Laporta and Messi have not seen eye to eye, following the president's inability to extend the Argentine icon's contract at the club.

This notably led to Messi leaving Barca, to the shock of world football, in 2021. He spent two years at Paris Saint-Germain and decided to leave on a free transfer. However, Barca were still unable to make a move for him in 2023, and he ended up joining Inter Miami in the MLS.

Due to the situation that saw him leave Barcelona, Lionel Messi and Joan Laporta have had a major rift. However, according to Catalunya Radio's Tot Costa (via GOAL), the president is looking to mend things, having personally invited Messi to the celebrations.

The report has claimed that Messi is interested in attending the event, where he will reunite with a number of players and coaches from his time at the club.