Inter Miami was defeated 6-0 this Thursday by Al-Nassr in a friendly in which Lionel Messi came on as a substitute in the final stretch and Cristiano Ronaldo was out due to injury.
This match was to be a new chapter, and perhaps the last, of the legendary rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo, the former Barcelona and Real Madrid stars who have accumulated 13 Ballon d'Or awards between them.
The Albiceleste captain had a testimonial presence on the pitch at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, where he entered in the 83rd minute when Inter had already succumbed by half a dozen goals. Ronaldo, for his part, watched the game from a box due to a calf problem that he has had for days.
Inter, who already lost 4-3 on Monday in Riyadh against Al-Hilal, continue to leave a terrible image in a preseason in which they have accumulated three defeats and a draw, with a balance of three goals for and 11 against.
For Puskas? Aymeric Laporte's great goal
One of Al-Nassr's goals was a spectacular free-kick by Spanish international centre-back Aymeric Laporte from his own half.
with a humiliating goal in which he took advantage of the fact that goalkeeper Drake Callender was advanced to score a free kick from more than 60 meters.
With a wide smile, Ronaldo greatly enjoyed the goals of his teammates from Al-Nassr, the team in which he has played since the end of 2022. He couldn't stand Laporte's goal and stood with his arms raised.
Brazilian Anderson Talisca scored a hat trick (minutes 2, 51 from a penalty and 73) and his compatriot Otávio (3) and Saudi Mohammed Maran (68') also scored for Al-Nassr, second in the local league.
For his part, Inter coach Gerardo Martino reserved a large part of the game for Messi as a precaution after feeling some physical discomfort on Monday, according to the Miami Herald newspaper.
The Uruguayan Luis Suárez, the new signing of the MLS team, wasted several clear opportunities in the 69 minutes he was on the field.
Lionel Messi was applauded
Condemned by its defensive weaknesses, Inter conceded a crude rout in the most important match of its first international tour, in which it tries to maximize the global impact of Messi's arrival last year.
As against Al-Hilal, Martino's team soon found themselves with a large disadvantage on the scoreboard. With only three minutes of play, a loss of ball by the young Argentine defender Tomás Avilés facilitated a triangulation by Al-Nassr culminated by Otávio with a shot into the top corner.
Talisca opened his account shortly after thanks to another error in Inter's release of the ball and Laporte made it 3-0.
The Colombian David Ospina, goalkeeper of the Saudi squad, was replaced after half an hour due to an injury that occurred in the first wasted opportunity by Suárez, who missed a volley with his left foot in the area.
The game saw several moments of tension, especially in a brawl that broke out before the break due to a strong tackle by Nawaf Al-Boushal on Noah Allen, in which Busquets was reprimanded.
Inter did not know how to react with Messi on the bench and upon returning from the locker room they received two more goals from Talisca from a penalty and from Maran with a header from a corner kick. Suárez, who had a point-blank shot saved by goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah in the 62nd minute, was substituted seven minutes later when excitement broke out in the stands as Messi came out to warm up.
With seven minutes remaining, and when Talisca had already made it 6-0 in a devastating counterattack, Messi entered the field amid the euphoria of the more than 25,000 fans.
The Argentine, who had a huge offer to join Saudi football last year, was barely able to make his mark in the final minutes.
Once the Saudi tour is over, Inter will travel to Hong Kong to face a local team on February 4 and Japan to play three days later against Vissel Kobe.
A friendly at home against Newell's Old Boys, Messi's childhood team, will close Inter's preparations for the new MLS season, which starts on February 21.
SPORTS
With AFP
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