Sergio Busquets now may play alongside Lionel Messi for Inter Miami in their must-win playoff clash against Atlanta United. The team had initially prepared for his absence, believing he would not be available for the crucial match.
However, a surprising turn of events unfolded just hours later.
Busquets, who was previously ruled out by coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino, received medical clearance on Friday afternoon. He is now listed as questionable for the match after participating in an individual training session, which raises hopes for a partnership with Messi as they face a decisive moment in their season.
“We’re confident in the progression of his recovery, and are hopeful he’ll be available for (Saturday’s) match,” the team conveyed.
In Game 1 of the best-of-three series, Busquets suffered an injury to his midsection, leading to pneumonia-like symptoms that sidelined him for Game 2, which resulted in a 2-1 loss to Atlanta. Inter Miami must secure a victory on Saturday to prolong their playoff journey and advance to the next round of the MLS Cup playoffs.
“At best, there are four finals left,” Martino stated on Friday morning, reflecting on the team’s mindset. “Each of the remaining games has the characteristics of a final game, and we, with the expectations we have, are ready to face it in the best way.”
Inter Miami is aiming for four more matches this season, starting with Saturday’s conclusion to Round 1, followed by the conference semifinal, conference final, and the MLS Cup final. If successful, all these matches would take place at home. However, a loss would conclude the season for the team that previously won the Supporters’ Shield and achieved the best regular-season record in MLS history.
Atlanta United has already demonstrated resilience by winning four elimination matches this season, including crucial victories against the New York Red Bulls and Orlando City, as well as a wild-card match against Montreal and Game 2 against Inter Miami.
This match holds significance for Messi as well, as he seeks to improve his performance in the series, where he has yet to score a goal and has only one assist across two matches. Atlanta’s interim coach Rob Valentino dismissed any narrative suggesting Messi’s impact has been diminished.
“Messi is fantastic,” Valentino remarked. “There is no slander on my end. He’s a fantastic player. Whether people say he’s produced or not, I don’t want to hear it because he’s fantastic.”
Atlanta is the only MLS team to defeat Inter Miami twice this season, with both victories occurring while Messi was on the field. The club’s record stands at 2-1-1 against the top-seeded Inter Miami.
In contrast, the rest of the MLS struggled against Inter Miami when Messi played, with an overall record of 0-12-5. Atlanta’s strategy to contain Messi seems to have been effective, as he has scored just one goal on 19 shots, eight of which were on target, throughout the four encounters this season.
“What he brings to a game, what he brings to a team, just him standing on the field requires your attention,” stated Atlanta United goalie Brad Guzan. “There are very few times that Plan A works. It’s Plan B and Plan C and Plan D, and you have to adjust very quickly.”
As for Busquets, the team has indicated he will be listed as questionable, which typically means that the medical staff will assess his condition on game day before making a final decision.
