Lionel Messi’s comeback to the Inter Miami starting lineup proved futile as his team suffered elimination from the Concacaf Champions Cup at the hands of Monterrey at BBVA Stadium on Wednesday night.
Miami
Entering the match trailing 2-1 from the first leg of the quarterfinal, Miami faced an uphill battle, which only worsened in the second leg as Monterrey stifled Messi and netted three goals, sealing a 5-2 aggregate victory.
“The second goal, 15 minutes into the second half, effectively ended our chances in the game. That’s when our semifinal hopes vanished,” lamented Miami head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino to reporters.
Brandon Vazquez broke the deadlock for the home side in the first half in front of a packed stadium, while Germán Berterame and Jesús Gallardo each added a stylish goal in the second half, putting the tie out of reach.
Jordi Alba’s frustration boiled over late in the game as he received two yellow cards for rash challenges, reducing Miami to 10 players for the remainder of the match.
Diego Gomez salvaged some pride for Miami with a headed goal from a Messi free kick before the final whistle, but Monterrey remained firmly in control, securing their spot in the semifinals.
Monterrey will now face the sole remaining MLS representative, the Columbus Crew, in the next round, with the first leg set for April 23.
“In the Concacaf Champions Cup, we’ve shown good competitiveness. We performed well against Nashville and in the first leg against Monterrey, but today’s result was decisive,” Martino reflected.
“Today’s loss dashes our hopes of progressing in this competition. Comparing MLS to Liga MX is futile.”
Messi had been sidelined from Miami’s starting lineup since March 13 due to a right thigh injury, though he did make a substitute appearance and scored a goal in the second half against the Colorado Rapids last Saturday.
Martino had hinted at Messi’s return during Tuesday’s press conference ahead of the match, confirming the forward’s fitness and indicating that his injury concerns were behind him.
The Argentine World Cup winner exited Miami’s CCC round-of-16 clash against Nashville early in the second half on March 13 due to a right thigh injury, which also ruled him out of national team friendlies.
Having bypassed the initial round of the Champions Cup by winning the inaugural Leagues Cup in 2023, Miami progressed to the quarterfinals after defeating Nashville in the round of 16.
Currently sitting third in MLS’ Eastern Conference, Miami’s next fixture is an away game against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.
