The team is under threat: Inter Miami coach: we do not know how to deal with the Messi tragedy | Goal.com

Published on 11 Aug 2026 | Reading time: 1 minute

Guillermo Hoyos, the Inter Miami coach, has spoken about Lionel Messi's absence following the death of his father, Jorge. The club, he stressed, is grieving deeply alongside its captain, who has flown to Rosario in Argentina with his family to bid farewell to his father.

Hoyos was speaking ahead of Inter Miami's final group-stage tie in the 2026 Leagues Cup against León. Defeat to Rayados in the second round has left their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals in serious jeopardy.

According to the AS newspaper, the coach said of Messi's situation: "We all know what happened with Leo, it is an immense tragedy."

"It is an immense grief, and we have felt it deeply alongside him," he added. "It was extremely difficult, and at such times words often fail to express what one feels. When you go through something this painful, recovery takes time, and this is a reality we all face. You do not really learn how to deal with it, because the pain runs so deep."

Messi stepped away from Inter Miami and travelled to Argentina after his father's death. The team, meanwhile, suffered a heavy blow with that loss to Rayados, leaving them in a tough spot in the fight for one of the four qualification spots handed to Major League Soccer clubs to reach the quarter-finals.

Inter Miami wrap up their group-stage campaign against León. Focus then shifts to Saturday's clash with Nashville, an eagerly awaited meeting that could decide the battle for the top of the Eastern Conference.

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