Lionel Messi isn’t used to losing, and it’s not something he’s taking lightly amid Inter Miami CF’s poor form. 

While the Argentine has enjoyed immense success since joining Inter Miami in 2023, the club’s recent run has seen them win just once in their last seven games in all competitions. 

This week also ranked as one of the most challenging. The Herons lost 4–1 to Minnesota United, then picked up a 3–3 draw against the San Jose Earthquakes, and ended the eight days with a 3–0 loss in the Florida Derby against rivals Orlando City SC. 

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner let fans know his thoughts after the derby in an interview with Apple TV. 

“It’s a difficult time, but we’re going to come through this,” Messi said. “Now we’ll really see if we’re a team. These are difficult times. When everything is going well, it’s very easy, but when difficult times come — like now — we have to be more united than ever, be a real team, and get through it.”

The loss pushed Miami’s MLS record to 6-3-4 and dropped them to sixth in the Eastern Conference, a low point after they had already crashed out of the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals against the upstart Vancouver Whitecaps FC. 

It also raised further questions about how the team will respond throughout the rest of the MLS season and how they will fare as one of the league’s representatives at the FIFA Club World Cup next month, where they will take on Al-Ahly, FC Porto and Palmeiras in the group stage. 

“We’re coming off a period of bad results,” added Messi. “But we have to keep working and think about what’s next. With three or four games left in May, we [have to] finish the best possible way to be able to face the Club World Cup.”

Miami won the Supporters’ Shield in 2024 with a record of 22-4-8 and set an MLS regular season points record of 74, but they have looked a shell of that team in how they have played under first-year manager Javier Mascherano in 2025. 

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When looking at what went wrong against Orlando, Messi pushed back on referee Guido Gonzalez, who allowed play to restart quickly in the first half, leading to Luis Muriel’s opening goal, assisted by a long ball from Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese. 

“We had a great first half, we were attacking, creating scoring chances. Then there was a strange play where one of their players gave the [Orlando] goalkeeper a pass and the referee said he didn’t know the rule and didn’t see it that way, from there came their long pass and the goal,” Messi said, having also received a yellow card or dissent in the 75th minute, his third caution of the season.

“[These are] not excuses, but there are always issues with referees and I think MLS has to look at some of the officiating.”

It marked time this week that Messi has been at odds with an official, after getting into an altercation with referee Joe Dickerson midweek, in which San Jose Earthquakes manager Bruce Arena had to hold him back from a potential red card. 

Amid the struggles, rumors have surrounded Messi’s future at Inter Miami. His current contract is set to expire at the end of the season. 

While he refused to answer questions on his future in the Apple TV interview, he could be enticed to stay after the club extended his longtime teammate and former FC Barcelona left back, Jordi Alba, through the end of the 2027 season.

“To sign Jordi for the next two years is important to show stability, and hopefully, in a few weeks, we can have some news about Leo,” Mascherano added post-game. “I think it will be very, very important for the club, the fans, and for MLS.”

As for how Miami might find their way back into the win column, they will have to look ahead to next week’s clash with the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Union. 

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It took some time, but Tom Izzo found another point guard to help direct Michigan State basketball.

The Spartans received a pledge from Miami (Florida) transfer Divine Ugochukwu on Sunday, May 18, via his Instagram page, giving them a secondary ballhandler along with returning starting point guard Jeremy Fears Jr.

Ugochukwu, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound native of Sugar Land, Texas, also considered USC and Texas Tech. He has three years of eligibility remaining, the same as Fears.

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The addition — MSU’s third inbound transfer of the offseason — comes after losing two key guards from Izzo’s 11th Big Ten championship team and following a run to the Elite Eight. Tre Holloman, who started 16 of the Spartans’ 37 games, split time running the offense with Fears but transferred to North Carolina State after the season for his final year of eligibility. And Jase Richardson, who declared for the NBA draft after one season in East Lansing, served as a third point guard before taking over full-time at shooting guard role and starting the final 15 games of the season.

Izzo also has added 6-4 shooting guard Trey Fort (Samford/Mississippi State/Tennessee Martin) and 6-7 wing Kaleb Glenn (Florida Atlantic/Louisville) from the portal since April.

In his lone season with the Hurricans, Ugochukwu averaged 5.3 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists. The three-star prospect in the 2024 class started 16 of 28 games played as a freshman for the Hurricanes and took over as the lead guard following an injury to Nijel Pack. Ugochukwu had six points with 10 rebounds and four assists against eventual Final Four foe and ACC champ Duke on Feb. 25.

Over his final 10 games, Ugochukwu upped his averages to 3.4 assists, 2.8 rebounds and added 1.8 steals while playing 29.1 minutes a game. However, he averaged just 5.4 points and shot 36.2% overall and 17.4% from 3-point range (4-for-23). Ugochukwu finished the season shooting just 6-for-34 from deep.

Fears, who was shot in the upper left leg in December 2023, returned from his injuries to start all but one game (illness) last season after taking a redshirt for his first year. The 6-2, 190-pound sophomore-to-be averaged 7.2 points, 5.4 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 23.6 minutes. He shot just 39.7% overall and 34.2% from 3-point range (13-for-38).

MSU will lose nearly 82% of its made 3-pointers and nearly 83% of its attempts from behind the arc with the losses of Richardson, Holloman, Jaden Akins, Xavier Booker and Frankie Fidler.

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.

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