Lionel Messi warns Inter Miami teammates ahead of MLS Cup playoff match

Messi has urged his side to avoid making silly mistakes in the matches.

For the MLS Cup playoffs, Lionel Messi has cautioned his Inter Miami team to avoid the “silly mistakes” they committed earlier in the season.

Despite winning the MLS Supporters’ Shield this season, Argentine icon Messi is not taking it easy for Inter Miami’s playoff run. The 37-year-old stated that their forthcoming knockout matches “can’t happen” productively because of the mistakes they committed during the regular season.

Messi hopes to lead Inter Miami to an MLS Cup victory in the upcoming weeks after leading them to their first-ever trophy achievement in 2023 by winning the Leagues Cup. They won the first game 2-1, but they must first defeat Atlanta United in their three-match series.

He told Fabrizio Romano: “Throughout the year, we made a lot of mistakes, many of which could have been avoided. Many of the mistakes were silly ones, to say the very least. That can’t happen during the playoffs because a mistake can cost you dearly and get you eliminated. We have to be stronger than ever and seize the advantage we’ve got.”

Messi has also led the Herons to the Supporters Sheild trophy for the first time in their history and now the 37-year-old aims to win the MLS Cup. Messi scored 20 goals despite missing many matches due to injuries and fitness issues. The forward has remained at his best when he returned from the injury.

In their upcoming matchup on Saturday, the former Barcelona player will try to assist his Inter Miami side in defeating Atlanta. If they win, they will play either Orlando City or Charlotte FC in the Eastern Conference semifinals. However, if they lose this weekend, the third match of the series will take place against Atlanta in a winner-take-all match on November 10.

Inter Miami boast a star-studded squad that can get the job done, but they also have shortcomings mainly in defence. They easily concede goals which they will have to avoid in the play-offs. In these games they will face the big MLS sides who can punish them.

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