Inter Miami picked up a 3–1 win over the LA Galaxy on Saturday night, but not everything is going well for the Herons.
Although the win saw Lionel Messi return from injury with a goal and an assist, it capped off a week that saw tensions rise between the club’s American players, head coach Javier Mascherano and others.
On Wednesday, Miami traded longtime goalkeeper Drake Callender to Charlotte FC, the latest USMNT-capped player to leave the club after Julian Gressel and DeAndre Yedlin were transferred in earlier deals.
Currently, there are just 10 American players on the 29-man roster, in a trend that has progressed since Messi’s arrival in the summer of 2023.
Tensions, though, reached unparalleled levels this week, as one of their young American stars, Benjamin Cremaschi, expressed his frustrations with Mascherano. The 20-year-old criticized his manager for inconsistent playing time and positions that have hindered the U.S. international’s development.
“I’m frustrated, I want to play,” Cremaschi told reporters ahead of the match. “I think the most important thing for me is to be at a very high level, and to get there, I need minutes and experience. I’ve played very little in these recent games, and I don’t think it’s because of my level.
“I go to the games and I have no idea where I'm going to play.”
