Inter Miami were prepared for the injury bug to get them. It was bound to happen with a team full of players over the age of 30. At some point, those at the latter part of their careers will break down. It’s inevitable.
But this? Inter Miami could never have been prepared for this. It’s less an injury bug and more an injury monster, and that monster has attacked the Herons time and time again at the start of the 2024 MLS campaign.
Lionel Messi has just returned from his own injury absence but, heading into this weekend’s clash with the New England Revolution, the Herons are missing nine key players. They range from veterans to youngsters, each attacked by that injury monster and forced out of game action for a period of time.
So what’s to blame? Bad luck is part of it, for sure. You don’t have this many injuries without lady luck having it in for you at least a little bit. Roster composition, too, as Miami’s thick and fast schedule has led to a few older players breaking down.
But there was also Miami’s unnecessary preseason risk, one which certainly didn’t help matters as they battle an injury crisis that threatens to send their MLS season south.
The current situation
Inter Miami will be big favorites when they face the New England Revolution on Saturday. The Revs are off to an awful start, having claimed just four points through eight games. Miami, meanwhile, leads the conference with 18 points through 10.
But, right now, nothing is particularly easy on South Beach as the Herons try and cope with a series of injuries.
Diego Gomez is the latest, with the 21-year-old Paraguayan now ruled out for a few weeks with an ankle sprain. It’s a big blow for Miami, who had been relying heavily on Gomez all season long. The return of Benjamin Cremaschi from his own injury will help things in midfield, but there are still holes all over the field due to absences.
Jordi Alba is out for a bit, leaving the team without one of the greatest fullbacks of his generation. Veteran centerback Serhiy Kryvtsov is also out with a hamstring strain. In the midfield, Federico Redondo still has some time on the sidelines. Up top, Robert Taylor and Leonardo Campana are both dealing with hamstring injuries, while Argentinian starlet Facundo Farias is done for the year with an ACL injury.
Everyone listed above could have started in any game, but all are now out for at least a little while longer.
Chasing the carrot
With all of the absences, head coach Tata Martino has had to dig deep into his squad. Players like Leo Afonso and Yannick Bright have had to step into bigger roles than anticipated while, at times, Martino has opted not to go to his bench at all due to the lack of game-changers available.
It’s been frustrating for the manager, who admits that he’s been overwhelmed by the injury issues.
“In a league like MLS, that is so strict with roster rules, salary cap and academy players, we had to make certain movements to be able to count on Yannick Bright and Leo Alfonso,” Martino said. “It wasn’t easy because we had to include them in the principal roster, and that involves having less money for other signings. This isn’t an ease that the league grants, and we have to replace important players with two players we selected 60 days ago in a draft.
“I want to have all my players. The sensation is like I’m chasing after the carrot. ‘Next week we’ll have everyone,’ and Diego falls. ‘Next week we’ll have everyone,’ and it’s someone else. This is what’s happening.”
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A returning Messi
The good news for Martino is that Messi is back after his own injury absence.
Messi missed about a month of MLS games with a hamstring injury, before returning on April 6 as a supersub. In the three MLS games since, he’s scored four goals and provided three assists. For a team dealing with injury issues like this, it sure helps.
The fact is that Messi can paper over just about every crack. Even with nine players out of action, it’s pretty clear that Miami can contend as long as they have their captain in the lineup. If Messi is in the XI, Miami will always have a chance, which gives them a real shot at surviving this injury crisis.
Messi isn’t Miami’s only important player, though. Luis Suarez, in truth, may just be their MVP this year. The former Liverpool striker’s situation is one to watch as well, though, as he attempts to manage his own injury issues.
Concerns with Suarez
In some ways, Suarez is performing exactly as expected. He’s one of the best strikers the sport has ever seen, after all. It isn’t a massive surprise to see him dominate in MLS. Even a weakened Suarez is too talented for any MLS defender in his path.
The surprise, though, is how injury-free the Uruguayan has been so far. Those initial fears when he first signed were not just down to age, but wear and tear. When Inter Miami brought in the ex-Barcelona forward, the club knew that it was getting a player very close to his expiration date.
Just last year, Suarez said that his knee was in “constant pain”, requiring painkillers to even get through games. MLS, despite the criticism, is not a forgiving league. It’s a fast, athletic competition. It’s also a league that drains players with long flights, quick turnarounds and turf fields.
Thus far, Suarez has survived but, at some point, he’ll almost certainly need a break. The critics are fueling him right now, and few players have ever thrived in chaos better than the controversial former Uruguay captain. Those knees won’t hold up forever, though.
Right now, Miami can’t really afford to give him an extended rest, particularly due to Campana’s injury. If the Ecuadorian were fit and healthy, he’d be a more than capable starter. Without him, there’s even more weight on Suarez’s shoulders.
Will that weight catch up to him? That’s the big question.
The role of preseason
Miami’s preseason was a disaster, no doubt about it. The results were horrible as the Heroes were embarrassed, particularly on the Saudi Arabian leg of the trip. Off the field, they angered fans in China. Overall, nothing really went to plan.
And it seems they may still be feeling the lingering effects. How else could you explain all of these injuries?
In total, the club traveled over 28,000 miles across three continents during their preseason trip. It was a massive slog, to say the least. All that travel, particularly in preseason, has an impact on players’ bodies. Even when flying first class, globetrotting like that takes its toll.
The preseason has created something of a ripple effect. With Cremaschi out early, Redondo was thrown right into the mix. When he went down too, the club then couldn’t afford to rest Gomez. Farias’ injury, meanwhile, put more pressure on Taylor early on. Overall, it’s been one backwards step after another.
At some point, Martino will be hoping to get to that aforementioned “carrot”. Before that, though, the club will have to survive.
Looking ahead
This weekend, the Herons head to Foxborough to face the Revs and once again their lineup may be forced into changes.
Gillette Stadium’s turf field could limit both Messi and Suarez as both can’t afford to be risked for one game. Messi’s recent hamstring injury and Suarez’s ongoing knee issues likely make this match a risk not worth taking and, given all of the other absences, Martino may be forced to punt this game with a very weak XI.
After that, the Herons have a pair of revenge games against the New York Red Bulls and CF Montreal, two teams that have already beaten them this year. Then they’ll visit rivals Orlando City on May 15, with the Lions looking for revenge of their own after March’s 5-0 shellacking.
Maybe by that point, Miami will have a few players back. They’ll certainly hope so. The dog days of summer are coming, and Miami will need all hands on deck if they want to remain near the top of the league.
