Messi eyes Barcelona reunion as Inter Miami dealt shock blow

Tom Weber

Updated: 20 Nov 2024 15:33 GMT
3 min read

Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Inter Miami — © IMAGO

Inter Miami are in the market for a new head coach amid reports that Tata Martino is set to surprisingly leave the club.

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Lionel Messi and company enjoyed a brilliant regular season, claiming the MLS Supporters' Shield, but their run in the playoffs came to an unceremonious end at the first hurdle.

Since the Argentine legend's arrival in Fort Lauderdale, Deep South rivals Atlanta United have proved to be Inter's kryptonite and this was again evident when the two faced each other in the playoffs recently.

Miami appeared to be cruising after winning the first leg but they were defeated in the second, which meant that, as part of the still relatively new MLS format change, the tie went to an all-deciding third game in which Messi's side came unstuck on home soil and crashed out.

Now, reports coming out of Miami claim that head coach Tata Martino has decided to call it quits after just a little over a year in charge in which he managed to turn David Beckham's franchise from MLS also-rans into one of the teams to beat.

Xavi to reunite with Messi?

The shocking news of Martino's departure has sparked rampant speculation about a successor. Mundo Deportivo claims that former Barcelona boss Xavi is in contention to reunite with Messi in the US.

The two, of course, famously played together so successfully with the Blaugrana but Xavi has yet to coach his former teammate. Messi departed Barcelona for PSG two months before the ex-midfielder replaced Ronald Koeman in the dugout.

While Xavi taking the Inter Miami job would make for good storylines given that former Barcelona stars Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba are also still with the club as things stand, Sport plays down suggestions that he could become a realistic target for the MLS side.

Xavi is still enjoying time with his family after his Barcelona sacking in the spring and the Spanish outlet claims that he is not yet ready to return to management.