Messi compared to Picasso after two Leagues Cup goals for Miami

Messi compared to Picasso after two Leagues Cup goals for Miami

According to Soccernews.

Context

Lionel Messi, who has scored 15 goals in 18 games for Inter Miami this season, continues to be a driving force for the team. His ability to decide matches, as demonstrated against Atlético San Luis, is vital to the club's performance in the Leagues Cup and can influence the season as a whole. Messi's ability to create opportunities and finish with precision puts Inter Miami in a strong competitive position.

Why this matters

Inter Miami's Leagues Cup victory is crucial for the team's confidence, especially after a challenging start. Lionel Messi, with his stellar performance, not only secured the three points, but also raised expectations around the team, which seeks to establish itself as a strong competitor in this competition. Messi's comparison to Picasso highlights his artistic ability on the pitch, which could inspire his teammates and attract more attention to the club in the Leagues Cup.

Main conclusions

• Messi compared to Picasso after two Leagues Cup goals for Miami.
• Lionel Messi shone when he scored two goals as Inter Miami beat Atlético San Luis in the Leagues Cup, leading coach Guillermo Hoyos to compare him to Picasso.
• Messi compared to Picasso after Leagues Cup brace for Miami.

Lionel Messi had a gala performance, scoring two goals and helping Inter Miami beat Atlético San Luis 4-2, in the team's debut in the Leagues Cup. The match took place in Fort Lauderdale and started with a deficit for the Herons, who saw David Rodriguez open the scoring for the Mexicans right at the beginning of the game. However, Messi showed his genius and quickly equalized the match with a spectacular goal. He took advantage of a Noah Allen cross and, with a beautiful volley, put the ball in the back of the net. Then, the star received another assist from the same player, this time in a congested environment in the area, and fired a bomb that went straight to the top corner of the goal. In addition to Messi's goals, Telasco Segovia and Micael also found the net for Miami, with the latter receiving a precise pass from Messi following a corner kick. Despite the inferior performance in terms of shots, where Miami was outscored 18 to 8, the team managed to create higher quality chances, winning the xG (expected goals) dispute by 1.64 to 0.73. Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos was impressed with Messi's performance and made an analogy with the famous painter Pablo Picasso. "He hit the ball in the air. Those of us who have played football know how difficult it is to find the time and space to make that connection, hitting a cross from the left and volleying cleanly with your left foot. If we were talking about painting, it would be Picasso." Atlético San Luis coach Diego Mejia also commented on the difficulty of marking Messi, stating: "If Messi plays on the counterattack, he is the best; if you shrink back and give him a lot of time with the ball, he is also thebetter. So, my decision was to maintain our identity. Of course we look at the bigger picture, but we're talking about the greatest player in history." Inter Miami, who won the Leagues Cup in 2023 during Messi's first season at the club, are now preparing to face other opponents in the group, including Monterrey and Club León.

What happens next

With this victory, Inter Miami positions itself favorably for the next games in the Leagues Cup, where each match will have a significant impact on its trajectory in the tournament. The team is now preparing to face more challenging opponents, and Messi's continued good performance will be fundamental to the club's success. The expectation is that Miami will use this victory as a springboard to improve its performance this season.