MLS legend Sacha Kljestan has shared what he thinks happens to Luis Suarez when Lionel Messi doesn’t play for Inter Miami.
The 36-year-old attacker was absent for the Herons last night in their 0-0 draw against Orlando City SC, with Messi picking up a minor knee injury in Saturday’s 3-2 win against CF Montreal.
With the Argentine international missing training on Tuesday, Messi being rested for this week’s Florida derby was a smart decision from Tata Martino, who admitted that the forward should be available for Saturday.
Yet Kljestan pointed out what happens to Suarez when Messi isn’t playing for Inter Miami.
Suarez ‘less of a player’ when Messi is out for Inter Miami
Speaking on MLS Wrap-Up, the former USA international noted how Suarez’s impact on the pitch is weakened when Messi also isn’t playing alongside the Uruguayan superstar.
Messi and Suarez are regarded as two of the best attackers of this generation as the pair built up an almost telepathic link with each other during their incredible time together at FC Barcelona.
And now reunited in Florida with Inter Miami, Suarez is finding it hard when Messi isn’t on the pitch, with the Herons looking like a different team when the club captain is unavailable to play.
Kljestan said: “There’s a lot of injuries, and we saw the team just without Messi is a slightly different team. I think Suarez is still a fantastic player, but Suarez without Messi is also less of a player.”
Inter Miami and Suarez have to learn to win without Messi
Messi is still one of the best attackers on the planet and easily the best player to ever grace MLS, with Inter Miami seemingly reliant on the Argentine international to pick up wins.
And if the Herons want to achieve anything, they need to learn how to win without Messi, with Suarez a player who can help with this problem in the weeks to come.
The Uruguay international has shown he can be a star player in his own right for Inter Miami, and when Messi isn’t playing, Suarez needs to take control into his own hands and become the new leading man for the Florida franchise.