Lionel Messi receives blunt take as Inter Miami nears MLS playoffs

Inter Miami are in Year 3 of the Lionel Messi era and have yet to win the MLS title. As a result, this season is crucial as the next campaign would see Messi another year older, although the Argentine appears to be defying aging with his play in MLS.

This week, the South Florida club played twice in just four days, and they got off to a strong start with a 4-0 win over New York City FC on Wednesday night at Citi Field.

Moreover, Messi has been on fire, scoring two or more goals in eight of Inter Miami’s last 12 matches. That performance makes him only the fourth player in MLS history to record multiple goals in eight games in a single season.

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Is Lionel Messi under pressure at Inter Miami?

Despite his amazing form, the veteran attacker will be judged by what he does in the playoffs. As a result, ESPN Deportes’ José del Valle believes that if the South Florida club doesn’t win the MLS title this season, it’s a failure for Messi regardless of the numbers he’s producing.

MORE INTER MIAMI NEWS: Lionel Messi earns strong words amid amazing Inter Miami form

“The only real question is whether Messi, at his current level and with the teammates he has at Inter Miami, can secure the MLS Cup without any favorable refereeing,” del Valle said on “Es Así y Punto.” “That’s the only thing that truly matters. Everything else is a given. Messi is a superstar, a genius, and he doesn’t let anyone down.

“But the expectation is clear: The title. Regular-season records, whether team or individual, don’t carry weight. Messi was brought in to win the MLS Cup, and if he doesn’t, it will be seen as a major failure. That’s the reality. The league may stumble, but Messi doesn’t. He’s on a completely different level from the rest of MLS.

“Since his arrival, he’s exposed how poorly organized many teams are defensively and how vulnerable their backlines can be—Messi has taken full advantage of that. Still, if he falls short of the title, there’s no avoiding the criticism over the price Inter Miami paid for him.”