Atlanta United eliminate Messi’s Inter Miami from MLS Cup playoffs
Atlanta United staged a stunning upset in Major Soccer League (MLS) Cup playoffs, eliminating Supporters' Shield winners Inter Miami CF with a 3-2 victory at Chase Stadium.
Turning down the rumours of rift in the Barca camp, Lionel Messi has insisted there are no problems between him and his teammate Antoine Griezmann or between the players and the Catalan board.
On Thursday, Barcelona defeated Inter Milan 2-1 after bouncing back from the scoreline of 0-1. Meanwhile, Messi returned from injury to make his second start of the season in the Champions League. The star player had elongated his left adductor in Barca’s 2-1 win against Villarreal which forced him to stay out in the second half of the match.
Speaking after the win over Milan, Messi was asked about his relationship with Griezmann, who had said on Tuesday it was “difficult” to establish a connection with the Argentine while he had been injured.
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“Obviously we have no problem,” Messi said, adding, “There is a good relationship with everyone, the dressing room is united. We needed this victory and hopefully now we can kick on and continue in this way.”
It was Luis Suarez’s brace at Camp Nou that helped Barca register the win. Notably, for the second goal, the Uruguayan was supplied by Messi with a pass at the end of a weaving run down the right.
Barcelona now sit level on four points with Borussia Dortmund in Group F.
There have also been suggestions of a rift between Barcelona’s players and the board, with Gerard Pique implying last weekend that articles critical of the team had come from higher up the club, however Messi denied the relationship had soured “We are fine. The important thing is to talk about the triumph of today and against Getafe,” he said.
“We have Sevilla now to finish well before the international break. We will try to win it because it creates a mess when there is no football so we want to finish well and go out on a high before the break.”
Barcelona play Sevilla on 7 October at the Camp Nou Stadium. The match starts 12.30 am (IST).
(With inputs from PTI)
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