Javier Mascherano (left) and Lionel Messi (right) were Argentina and Barcelona teammates. IMAGO/Pro Shots
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano is well aware that his star-studded team, led by Lionel Messi, finds itself in a seemingly insurmountable situation heading into the second leg of the Champions Cup semifinal against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday night.
Miami lost the first leg 2-0 on the road last week and must win by three goals in regulation to advance to the championship game.
A 2-0 Miami win would send the match to extra time and potentially penalties. If Vancouver scores even one goal in regulation, a Miami winning margin of two or less would not be enough. Vancouver would get the edge because away goals are the tiebreaker (Note: that rule does not apply in extra time).
History is on Vancouver’s side.
Inter Miami is the fourth MLS team to lose a semifinal first leg by a 2-0 score on the road and none of the other three overcame the deficit.
Despite all the odds stacked against Miami, Mascherano insisted he was highly confident his team could pull off the comeback as he fielded questions from the media on the eve of the 8 p.m. match (FS1, TUDN).
He reminded reporters that Miami mounted a dramatic three-goal comeback against LAFC to escape the quarterfinals.
“Against LAFC, we scored three goals in the final 60 minutes, this time we have 90 minutes to score three goals,” Mascherano said. “Obviously, we’d rather be in another situation, but it’s futbol.
“Look at what happened to us [Sunday] against Dallas. We had it 3-1, there was no sign that the game would get away from us, and in five minutes they tied it and then they win and we ended up with nothing. Anything is possible.”
Nobody knows that better than Mascherano, Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who were part of one of the greatest comebacks in modern soccer history as FC Barcelona teammates.
On Mar. 8, 2017, Barcelona overcame a four-goal deficit in the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 against Paris Saint-Germain to win 6-5 on aggregate, the largest comeback in Champions League history.
PSG won the first leg 4-0 in Paris and seemed a lock to advance. But with a Camp Nou crowd of 96,290 looking on, Suarez scored in the third minute to give Barcelona the lead. A PSG own goal doubled Barca’s lead. Messi scored on a PK at the 50-minute mark to make it 3-0. Edison Cavani closed the gap to 3-1, but then Barcelona scored three unanswered goals.
Neymar scored on a free kick in the 88th minute and a made it 5-1 on a controversial penalty kick when Suarez fell in the first minute of added time. That still would not have been enough, but in the waning seconds of the match, Sergi Roberto scored the sixth goal to push Barcelona through.
The miraculous result became known as “La Remontada” (The Comeback).
“That night I learned that nothing is impossible,” Mascherano said. “Anything can happen. Absolutely anything. We were losing 4-0…until the referee blows the whistle, anything can happen. I can try to relay that as a coach, but I had four teammates who are on this team now and they can, better than anyone, relay that to the rest of the players.”
He said elite athletes live for these types of high-pressure games.
“If there is anything athletes like, it’s living with this kind of pressure,” Mascherano said. “It’s the reason we play, for the chance to compete and face adversity and try to turn things around. Yes, there is pressure and responsibility, but real pressure is other things in life. This type of pressure, if you know how to manage it, can be positive for us. I am fully convinced we have a chance to advance.”
Center back Maxi Falcon echoed his coach’s sentiments.
“We are confident we can reverse the result of the first leg,” he said. “It will be difficult, and there is no margin for error. But if we do a good job, we can move on. In futbol we have short memories. We lost the last match, but we’re at home now. It’s about making plays for 90 minutes.”
The Whitecaps enter Wednesday’s game with momentum after going unbeaten in their last four matches with two wins and two ties. Inter Miami, over that same stretch, tied Chicago 0-0, beat Columbus 1-0, and suffered back-to-back losses against Vancouver and Dallas by a combined score of 6-3.
Messi, Suarez, Busquets and Alba sat out the Dallas game to rest for Wednesday, as did several other regular starters. Vancouver manager Jesper Sorensen also made eight changes to his starting XI in Sunday’s match at Minnesota.
Asked whether Busquets would play a more offensive role against Vancouver in an effort to create more scoring chances for Messi, Mascherano replied: “Busi will play like Busi. He has complete freedom. Nobody knows better how to play center midfield. We don’t have to do anything crazy. Nothing unusual. The fridge is in the kitchen and the sofa in the living room. There is no need to invent things. One or two losses won’t change my perspective. I believe in what we do.”
Callender injury update
Goalkeeper Drake Callender, who started against Dallas after missing much of the season with an adductor injury, felt discomfort in that same area after the match and will not be available Wednesday. Mascherano said Callender will see a specialist.
Gressel signed by Minnesota United
Inter Miami midfielder Julian Gressel was acquired by Minnesota United off waivers, both clubs announced Tuesday. Gressel is under contract through December of 2026, with a club option for 2027.
“I’m really excited to be here at Minnesota United and to get integrated into the group,” Gressel said. “I can’t wait to get started with the guys and continue the momentum that has been established within the team.”
“We welcome Julian and his family to Minnesota and are excited for him to join our team,” said MNUFC Chief Soccer Officer Khaled El-Ahmad. “Julian brings an impressive depth of MLS experience and championship pedigree to Minnesota. He is a proven winner and competitor and our hope is that he will contribute those qualities to our team and continue to push our club forward throughout the rest of this season and beyond.”
Gressel joined Inter Miami in 2024, played 32 games and had nine assists. He played a vital role with the Miami squad that won the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield trophy, but had not played in any of the league games this season.
This story was originally published April 29, 2025 at 4:53 PM.
