Like old times. Lionel Messi he played again with Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba y Sergio Busquetssomething that had not happened for more than three years, when the four of them did it in Barcelona for the last time. The experience was ephemeral: it lasted only a short time and, apart from a few flashes, it did not live up to expectations. They finished 0-0 against El Salvador at the Cuscatlán Stadium.
The last time was worse. On August 14, 2020, a date that will be remembered forever for the defeat suffered by the Catalan team when, in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, Bayern Munich beat them 8 to 2.
The River Plate duo that worked so well in Barcelona did not show themselves like they did in those times. First, because Messi was not an attacker. Rather, he associated himself with the offense or generated situations, but starting from the middle of the field. Even sometimes behind Sergio Busquets.
From that position he put a barbaric ball to Jordi Alba, generating the best of the first part. He also had two actions in front of the area: the first was met with the superb response of the goalkeeper Mario Gonzalez and in the second he was left without the ball because Benjamin Cremaschi did not make the wall that the man from Rosario expected.
Cuscatlán brought together Barcelona’s most talked about quartet but the reunion with the Inter Miami shirt in the middle of the tour had only one move to suit it, that González ruined with his intervention. The Salvadoran goalkeeper was the highlight. And Suarez? He scored with some situation, but he couldn’t shout his either.
The second half began without the quartet on the court. Tata Martino took them out and lowered the blinds on the reunion that he will have more opportunities to get oiled before the MLS championship begins.
Without the quartet on the court, the game fell into situations and interest. The most salient thing, perhaps, was the moment when Gregore and Darwin Cerén crossed paths in the middle of the field and almost ended up colliding. The referee cautioned both and tempers quickly calmed down.
But when the game still had 20 minutes left, Martino had the worst news: Facundo Farías left the field with severe pain in his left knee. Inter played the last minutes with ten players because Tata no longer had the possibility of making changes. The former Colón retired with visible signs of pain that predict a possible injury.
Martino will wait for the medical report to find out the footballer’s situation and know if he can count on him in the next friendly matches. On Monday they will face FC Dallas in the United States and a week later, the team will travel to Saudi Arabia to face Al Hilal and Al Nassr, of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The tour will continue in China against Hong Kong All-Stars, a team made up of the stars of the local league, and will continue in Japan to face Vissel Kobe, in Tokyo. The last game will be on February 15, against Newell’s at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, their new stadium.