By Sergio Silva
Feb 24, 2024, 3:16 PM EST
The Los Angeles Galaxy have a small advantage heading into the match they will play this Sunday against Inter Miami. Lionel Messiwhich will mark its premiere in the 2024 Major League Soccer season, having the presence of Riqui Piug, who coincided with the Argentine star during his time at FC Barcelona.
The Los Angeles team has among its ranks the Spanish midfielder, who emerged from the Catalan team’s quarries and who knows very well what the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is capable of, which is why he gave his point of view on the care that should be taken. have for the game that will be played this Sunday at the Dignity Health Sports Park.
“Obviously he is the best player in history and I think now in the league as well”began Riqui Puig, who from this season will have a much more leading role within the LA Galaxy after the departure of Mexican forward Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, who is currently a player for Chivas de Guadalajara.
For the Spaniard, we should not trust Lionel Messi, who had some physical discomfort during the close of the preseason carried out by the team led by Gerardo Martino. The Argentine is already recovered and was evident in Inter Miami’s first match this season in the middle of the week against Real Salt Lake, which they won 2-0.
In that meeting The Argentine star played the 90 minutes and provided the assist for the first goal of the game scored by Robert Taylor (m.39). The other goal for Las Garzas was courtesy of Diego Gómez (m.83) after a pass from Uruguayan Luis Suárez, the great reinforcement of the team chaired by David Beckham for this 2024 campaign.
“It was already shown on Wednesday against Real Salt Lake how well he is playing and how well he is physically, so we have to be very careful with the best player in the world”commented Riqui Puig, 24, who after training at La Masia spent three seasons with FC Barcelona before joining the LA Galaxy in 2022.
This first match of the MLS season is important for the Los Angeles team that seeks to leave behind the failure it experienced during the previous US championship campaign. Those led by Greg Vanney have just been eliminated in the regular round by finishing with a record of eight wins, 12 draws and 14 losses.
The team with the most titles in MLS history (with five) needs to get off to a good start in this new season to once again fight for the top of the Western Conference and get back into the playoffs.
Keep reading:
– Major League Soccer announced that it will begin the 2024 season with substitute referees while the discussion of the collective contract continues
– Argentine Federico Redondo signs for $8 million dollars with Inter Miami and becomes Lionel Messi’s new teammate
– The “Lionel Messi” effect that has changed the way we see “soccer” since his arrival in the MLS with Inter Miami in mid-2023