Inter Miami CF head coach Javier Mascherano said Jordi Alba and Lionel Messi will both be available for selection tomorrow in the team’s second Club World Cup group stage match against FC Porto at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Alba returns to the squad almost three weeks after suffering a hamstring injury on May 28 in an MLS match against Montreal. He came off the pitch in the 24th minute, watching Inter Miami from the sidelines for the last few weeks before finally joining the team for training earlier this week.
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“The only one who will be available for us that wasn’t in the last match is Jordi Alba,” said Mascherano. “The rest are still not available. Jordi, today, three weeks ago suffered a hamstring injury so we will evaluate what is better if he starts or comes on as a substitute. We know, but I won’t tell you.”
Mascherano said that Messi trained well after the inaugural Club World Cup match against Al Ahly, which finished 0-0, and will feature on Thursday, before adding that Yannick Bright, Gonzalo Luján and David Ruiz remain out.
Despite the litany of injuries, Mascherano hopes to prove that the club can compete even with the European sides at the tournament.
“The reality is that we’re focused on tomorrow’s match,” Mascherano said. “It’s a match that every player on our team wants to play because you’re facing and testing yourself against an opponent that plays in Europe, plays in the Champions League, that plays in important competitions.
“Well, we’re doing it with the hope of being able to prove what we’re really worth, too.”
Mascherano cited the results of South American teams and the 1-1 draw between Inter Milan and Monterrey on Tuesday as inspiration and proof any team can get results in the competition.
“Except for two or three games, like Paris [Saint-Germain] vs. Atlético [de Madrid] and Bayern [Munich] vs. Auckland City, the rest are very close matches,” Mascherano said. “We even saw it yesterday in Dortmund’s match against Fluminense. I mean, maybe there was a lot of expectation that there would be a big difference between the European teams, and I’m not even talking about the South American ones, because yesterday Monterrey played a very, very good game against Inter Milan, the European runner-up.
“I mean, I think that shows us, perhaps to teams that aren’t used to competing at this level and in this type of championship that football is 11 against 11 and there’s one ball, and when you have enthusiasm, determination, desire, and confidence in what you do, you can compete against opponents at the highest level.
“Well, it’s one more example to go to this match tomorrow and trust in what we do and above all to prove ourselves. I think that’s what sport is about.”
Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Al Hilal on Wednesday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami added some credence to Mascherano’s sentiment.
After the match with Porto on Thursday, Miami concludes the group stage of the tournament against Palmeiras on Monday in Miami.