Major League Soccer (MLS) has once again come under fire for its decision to continue playing matches during FIFA international windows. This decision has left many teams, including the New York Red Bulls and Inter Miami, at a disadvantage due to the absence of several key players who have been called up by their respective national teams.
Inter Miami will be missing key players such as midfielder Diego Gómez (Paraguay) and goalkeeper Drake Callender (U.S. men’s national team) for their upcoming match against the Red Bulls. In addition, the team will also be without the likes of Lionel Messi, who was called up by Argentina but is now sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino expressed his disappointment with MLS’s decision not to postpone the match despite a request from the Red Bulls. He highlighted the significant advantage that teams with fully available squads have over those missing key players due to international duty.
New York Red Bulls’ Missing Players
On the other hand, the New York Red Bulls will be without their captain and marquee offseason signing Emil Forsberg (Sweden) and defender John Tolkin (U.S. under-23). These absences will undoubtedly impact the team’s performance and raise questions about the fairness of playing matches during international windows.
Despite the challenges posed by missing players, Martino remains optimistic about fielding a competitive team against the Red Bulls. He acknowledged the absence of several key players but emphasized the importance of adapting and making the most out of the available squad.
The absence of Lionel Messi, due to injury, has been a major blow for Inter Miami. However, Martino provided an update on Messi’s recovery, stating that the Argentine forward is progressing well and is expected to return to action in the upcoming Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal matchups against Mexico’s Monterrey.
The decision by MLS to reject the request to postpone the Miami vs. Red Bulls match has stirred up controversy and highlighted the challenges faced by teams during FIFA international windows. The absence of key players has raised concerns about fairness and competitive balance in the league. However, managers like Gerardo Martino remain focused on overcoming these obstacles and fielding competitive teams under challenging circumstances.
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