Inter Miami target Xavi and Mascherano as possible candidates

Inter Miami have been dealt with a major blow following the news that Tata Martino is set to leave the club at the end of the season. The Argentinian joined Miami last June as part of the transformation of the club that took place with the arrival of his compatriot Lionel Messi.

In his one-and-a-half season in charge, Martino led his side Leagues Cup glory and dominated the regular season to claim the Supporters' Shield with the best overall record -leading FIFA to hand them a place in next year's Club World Cup. However, reports have informed that the 61-year-old will be departing due to "personal reasons".

The former Barcelona boss has a press conference scheduled on Friday to make the official announcement alongside team co-owner Jorge Mas and president of football operations Raul Sanllehi, with the shock defeat against Atlanta United in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs, set to be his last game as Inter Miami coach.

In recent season, Inter Miami have had the tendency to bring in Messi's former teammates - Suarez, Jordi Alba, Busquests - and could look to continue with the trend for their next manager. Accordin to 'Miami Herald', Xavi and Mascherano have been identified as possible candidates to take charge at the club.

Xavi is currently without a club after terminating his journey at the healm of Barca, who are now led by Hansi Flick, in the summer of 2024. The Spaniard led the 'Azulgrana' for two-years-a-half, winning both La Liga and Supercopa in the 2022/23 campaign. On the other hand, Mascherano represents an option with less managerial experince than Xavi. The former defender is currently in charge of Argentina's under-20s side, with four games under his belt in the current season.

 

November 19, 2024