Lionel Messi's team-mate explains lengths Inter Miami go to avoid injuring him
Inter Miami midfielder Edison Azcona has revealed the methods he and his teammates use to avoid injuring Lionel Messi during training - even admitting they sometimes don't let him play in training matches.
Messi has just completed his first season with Miami, following his move as a free agent back in July. The Argentina legend finished the 2023 season in the United States with 11 goals in his 14 appearances for the club.
Sunday night saw Miami’s season come to a close with a 1-0 defeat to Charlotte FC. Messi played the full 90 minutes in the game at the Bank of America Stadium, and could not help his team get on the score sheet to avoid a defeat in the final game of the season.
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Miami finished 14th in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference, seven points adrift of the MLS Cup play-off spots. Messi and Co. will now not return to the pitch for their club until pre-season begins either at the end of January or early February.
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With the MLS season completed from Maimi’s point of view, Aczona has now reflected on how he has found sharing a locker room alongside Messi. The 19–year–old midfielder has explained how he and his fellow Miami teammates try to avoid injuring Messi during training.
“Everyone understands that we are not going to try to hurt him [Messi],” Azcona told . “One tries to defend, but they are a little more careful.
“We don't let him play in the games we play among ourselves, we defend him, but with caution. Nobody gets into it very hard.”
Azcona, a Dominican Republic international, is yet to score in his 11 appearances for Miami since he joined the club at youth level in 2020. He is also yet to share the pitch alongside Messi and has not played for Miami since July 26 against St. Louis City.
Edison Azcona of Inter Miami has explained how he and his teammates try to avoid injuring Lionel Messi in training (Bill Barrett/ ISI Photos /Getty Images)The young midfielder would go on to admit that it’s been a childhood dream of his to be a teammate of Messi’s. However, Azcona will have to wait until the 2024 MLS season to realise his dream.
“Actually, I thought about it,” Azcona said. “Since I was little, I have always said that a dream of mine was to play with Messi, and I finally have this opportunity to share a dressing room, train with him and have that experience of being on the same team. It is a dream come true.”
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