Inter Miami make their Club World Cup debut this Saturday against Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium
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They share Group A with Al Ahly, Palmeiras, and PortoMascherano spoke to the media ahead of the matchOnly William Yarbrough was added as a reinforcement ahead of the tournamentWatch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
The wait is over for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, and the first teams to take the field will be Inter Miami and Al Ahly this Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Ahead of the opening match, Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano spoke at a press conference, addressing both the club’s challenges and its ambitions.
The Argentine coach was candid about the club’s struggles in the transfer market, which go beyond just preparing for the Club World Cup.
“Anyone following us closely knows we’ve spent months trying to reinforce the squad – not just for now, but also thinking ahead to the season. Injuries have exposed our depth," he said. "At the end of April, we made the decision to open up two roster spots for potential additions. I’ve said it before – my role is to prepare the team, and that’s what I focus on."
Mascherano isn't the only member of Inter Miami to point out the lack of depth on the roster. Luis Suarez also made similar comments Friday.
"Obviously, we know about the restrictions MLS imposes that don’t allow us to compete at the economic level we would like, but we have to go into tomorrow's match and give it our all with the players we have," he said.
AdvertisementAFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Mascherano emphasized the significance of the Club World Cup for Inter Miami, calling it potentially the most important competition in the club’s young history.
“It’s a privilege that in the present day I can coach a team that’s going to take part in a competition as important as the FIFA Club World Cup, and that’s a responsibility," he explained to DAZN. "I think it’s going to be similar to what a FIFA World Cup might be like, with different cultures, different languages, but a bit more passion, because when it comes down to it, usually football fans are first and foremost fans of their club and then their country. So, it’s going to be slightly different but I’m sure there will be a very similar atmosphere to what we’re used to during FIFA World Cups with national teams.”
Despite Inter Miami's lack of signings, Mascherano insisted the club has high expectations for this tournament.
“The objective is to try to compete to the best of our ability, just as we do in all competitions, knowing that it’s a top-level competition, that we’re going to face top-class teams. In our minds, it’s about trying our best and having the ability to take it one game at a time, trying to give ourselves a chance of making it through the group stage and getting into the last 16. So, we’ll try to do our best, try to compete at the highest level and if we do that, hopefully we’ll do well," he told DAZN.
Looking ahead to the opening match against Egyptian giants Al Ahly, with Espérance de Tunis and Porto also in their group, Mascherano outlined his tactical goals.
“The plan is to be the protagonist, to compete, to neutralize their key players, and limit their strengths. We want to control the match and give ourselves the best chance to get a good result in our debut. This may be the most important tournament Inter Miami has ever played,” he told reporters.
He also addressed the status of Lionel Messi, who trained with the team Friday morning and is expected to start.
“Leo is doing well. There were times we had to manage his workload, but he’s played in our last 15 matches – except for the Dallas game, where we rested everyone. He’s been available and in good form. Luckily, he was also rested during one of Argentina’s recent matches, so he arrived healthy. We have high expectations for him,” Mascherano said.
He added, "He [Lionel Messi] is the No. 1 and the No. 1 transcends sport. They transform sport and revolutionize all the places that they go to. In the case of Leo, it’s striking, the way he’s managed to have such a huge impact on this country, and we have to make the most of the impact that he’s had.”
Getty Images SportWHAT JORDI ALBA SAID
Veteran left back Jordi Alba is also eager to start playing in the Club World Cup, a competition he's played in once before as a member of Barcelona in 2015.
“All the group games will be special. We’ll be facing very difficult opponents, but we have a home advantage, and we hope the fans will come to support us and enjoy the games," he told DAZN. "We know it’s a tough group against great teams, but we are dreaming big and have high hopes to compete and do a great job in a very tough tournament.”
He won the competiton on a team that also featured Messi in his prime along with Luis Suarez in the final against River Plate. Alba, now 36, hopes for more magic from Messi in this tournament.
“The chance to come here and share the dressing room [with Lionel Messi] once again at Inter Miami, as soon as we saw each other, we understood each other again. We’ve been fortunate to combine for many goals, and it’s really easy to do that and play alongside the best player in history," he said.
“It’s a privilege for me, and I have always said this: having Leo makes any team better, and in my case, it also made me a better player. I’ve taken advantage of his passes so many times to score goals, and thanks to him, I have also provided lots of assists. It’s important for any player to improve their stats, and I hope that we get to play together for many more years.”
AFPWHAT JOSÉ RIVERO SAID
Al Ahly’s Spanish head coach, José Riveiro, spoke at the pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s game, emphasizing his team’s plan to contain Inter Miami star Lionel Messi.
“Messi is a great player with extraordinary abilities and global recognition. We’ve prepared well to face him and try to stop him,” said Riveiro. “But he’s not the only threat – they have other experienced players who can make a difference.”