Lionel Messi decision defended by Inter Miami boss amid bizarre criticism

Javier Mascherano was in the rare position of being forced to defend his decision to play Lionel Messi. The Inter Miami boss allowed the Argetina star to complete 90 minutes in a comfortable win over Montreal.

Mascherano's side secured a significant advantage when Messi scored his second goal of the game to make the score 4-1 in Canada. The MLS giants were unable to increase the scoreline as they earned three points on their return from Club World Cup action where they failed to make it past Paris Saint-Germain in the last-16 of the tournament.

And former Liverpool and Barcelona midfielder Mascherano was asked why he persisted with Messi, 38, on the field rather than taking the opportunity to manage his minutes on Saturday evening. The 41-year-old offered some simple reasoning.

"We have to understand that Leo is happiest when he’s playing football," Mascherano said. "Every time he’s fit, he’s going to want to play - and we’re going to let him.

"He gives us a huge advantage when he’s on the pitch, and of course, we want to make the most of it."

READ MORE: Martin Zubimendi reveals Arsenal duo convinced him to make move in first words after transfer

READ MORE: Transfer news LIVE: Arsenal close in on Gyokeres after announcing huge deal, Man Utd eye shock move

Mascherano did concede that his team had a hectic fixture list coming up as they face New England Revolution, Nashville, FC Cincinnati and New York Red Bulls in the space of 10 days. And that was why the coach was pleased to claim a victory over Montreal.

"We have consecutive games coming up, and we’ll need every player ready. Whoever gets the chance has to be prepared," he said. “This was an important match - Montreal was coming in with good momentum, but our team rose to the occasion."

Messi's presence for away games has formed a major talking point since he arrived in MLS from PSG. The contender for the title of best player ever has proven a major draw for the league across all quarters, such is his profile.

Montreal sold out the Stade Saputo for the visit of Inter Miami, and there was no shortage of pink kits worn by supporters in the stands. The no unfamiliar occurence has some benefit for Mascherano's side.

“I don’t want to overanalyze it," he said. "We’re very lucky - when we play away, most of the crowd comes to see Messi, and a lot of them are actually fans of his. They usually try to support him, and that’s something we don’t take for granted," he said.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.