Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano has dismissed rumours of a rift with Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, following their on-field exchange during the club’s 5-3 loss to Chicago Fire last week at the Chase Stadium.
The incident gained attention after cameras caught Mascherano and Messi in a heated discussion as Miami attempted to recover from a two-goal deficit. Although Luis Suárez scored twice to level the game at 3-3, Chicago Fire struck back with two late goals to seal victory, leaving fans questioning the apparent tension between the former Argentina teammates.
Addressing the speculation, Mascherano clarified that the moment was purely tactical and had nothing to do with personal differences. “There’s no problem with Leo,” he explained. “It came out in the press that he was challenging me, which is really nonsense. We were talking about Chicago’s low block and how difficult it was to find space between the lines.”
The coach emphasized that both he and Messi were trying to address the team’s positioning and adjust their strategy. “They dropped back very well, and it was hard to break through. That’s what we discussed,” he said.
The clarification comes after Inter Miami’s 4-1 victory over New England, where Jordi Alba and Tadeo Allende both scored twice. While Messi didn’t find the net for the second consecutive game, he provided three assists, helping Miami secure a spot in the MLS playoffs.
