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Lionel Messi Details How Inter Miami Escape Slump

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Lionel Messi Details How Inter Miami Escape Slump


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. 

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“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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Inter Miami CF

Luis Suárez (left), Jordi Alba (center), and Lionel Messi expressed their frustrations with the referee during the loss to Orlando City SC. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

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. 

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Lionel Messi’s current contract with Inter Miami CF is set to expire at the end of the 2025 season. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

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. 

READ THE LATEST INTER MIAMI NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MORE



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Miami, FL

Wives of detained men allege inhumane conditions at federal detention center in Miami

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Wives of detained men allege inhumane conditions at federal detention center in Miami


Wives of several men being held at the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami are alleging their husbands are facing inhumane conditions following a transfer from the Krome Detention Center, where detainees were evacuated due to recent wildfires.

The women gathered outside the downtown Miami facility on Wednesday to call for basic humane treatment for their husbands.

The Federal Detention Center is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, not U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. While ICE transferred the detainees to the federal facility, the Bureau of Prisons is responsible for conditions inside.

Among those speaking out was Judith Castellanos, whose husband, 51-year-old Marlon Cervelo, has been in immigration detention since 2023.

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“He is my husband, my brother, my confidant, my everything,” Castellanos said, adding that she fears for his life.

According to Castellanos, Cervelo was detained following his annual immigration appointment in 2023. Since then, he has been held at multiple facilities, including Alligator Alcatraz, Krome Detention Center and now the Federal Detention Center in downtown Miami.

Castellanos said the detainees are requesting basic necessities.

“They want something similar to what they had in Krome,” Castellanos said, noting the need for clean clothing and reliable access to drinking water.

Arianne Betancourt, an activist with the social justice organization The Workers Circle, echoed the families’ concerns.

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“Nobody should be denied access to water,” Betancourt said during a news conference.

While CBS News Miami was covering the event, Castellanos received a call from her husband inside the facility. Speaking in Spanish, Cervelo claimed conditions remain difficult.

“We still have no air conditioning in the rooms and no medicines,” Cervelo said.

Another spouse says deportation isn’t an option 

Another spouse, Annette Uset, said her husband, Daikel Dumont, is being held in solitary confinement.

“He told me the conditions that he was in, and I went ahead and contacted the news,” Uset said.

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Anisley Cortez said she is concerned for her husband, 41-year-old Noslen Sendra, who suffers from diabetes and acute pancreatitis. She alleged he is not receiving the necessary medication.

The three women said their husbands share similar immigration histories. Each was detained by immigration authorities after serving prison sentences for past criminal convictions. Because Cuba has not accepted their deportation, they have remained in federal custody.

CBS News Miami requested a response from the Federal Bureau of Prisons regarding the allegations.

In a statement, the agency acknowledged the facility experienced water pressure problems on July 1, but said inmates were provided additional bottled water while repairs were underway. Officials said the issue was resolved the following day.

The Bureau of Prisons also confirmed that one of the facility’s air-conditioning chillers malfunctioned on July 6, but stated the problem has been repaired and both chillers are operating normally.

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Despite those assurances, the families said they will continue to speak out until they see meaningful improvements in the treatment of their loved ones.

When asked if she would follow her husband to Cuba if deportation were an option, Castellanos replied, “I would follow him.”

According to the families, however, immigration officials have encouraged their husbands to self-deport to a third country, an option all three men have declined.



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Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza is coming to Miami, led by legendary pizzaiolo chef Bun

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Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza is coming to Miami, led by legendary pizzaiolo chef Bun


If you’re a diehard pizza fanatic in Miami, you’ll soon be able to check another renowned style off your list without leaving home. Arriving in October 2026, Royale Pizza Napoletana will debut at 1680 Meridian Avenue, introducing South Florida to the exceptionally precise world of Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza. This highly anticipated opening marks the monumental stateside arrival of legendary Japanese pizzaiolo Chef Bun, the mastermind behind Tokyo’s genre-defining concept, Savoy.

RECOMMENDED: Where to find the best pizza in Miami

The restaurant is the brainchild of banking entrepreneur and restaurateur Jess Varughese, the innovator behind Miami’s ultra-exclusive, members-only hotspot, Haiku. After experiencing Chef Bun’s “perfect pizzas” during a trip to Japan, Varughese envisioned bringing this science-driven culinary movement to sunny South Florida. To ensure absolute authenticity, Varughese assembled an elite culinary team. Alongside Chef Bun, the kitchen features Haiku Executive Chef Albert Diaz and Chef Dalila Sabatino, a rising pizzaiola talent praised by Bun who previously trained at Los Angeles’ acclaimed Pizzeria Sei.

Photograph: Courtesy Royale Pizza NapoletanaRoyale Pizza Napoletana

What sets Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza apart is its rigorous, chemistry-like execution. At Royale, the dough undergoes a meticulous 30+ hour fermentation process. Varughese and his team spent hundreds of hours adjusting the recipe, combining artisan flours with the Autolyse technique and even altering Miami’s water softness to match Japan’s famously soft water. Pizzas are then baked fresh in an 800-degree oven. The resulting crust achieves an ethereal balance of lightness, chewiness, char and crunch. As Varughese notes, having Chef Bun’s 20-plus years of innovation on board elevates the entire culinary game.

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Royale will be fast-casual, yet polished, with seating for 65 guests including a large community table at its center. Staying true to an accessible vibe, the restaurant will operate on a first-come, first-served walk-in basis with no reservations, though takeout and delivery will be available. You’ll order at a main counter from a carefully curated menu featuring antipasti, two pastas, two mains and seven distinct pizzas—including four traditional options and three specials. This is a pizza spot that deserves the hype, so stay up to date on their progress at @royalenapoletana ahead of the official October launch.





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Girl, 12, shot while sitting in parked car in northwest Miami-Dade, deputies say

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Girl, 12, shot while sitting in parked car in northwest Miami-Dade, deputies say


MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A 12-year-old girl was shot in the arm after gunfire erupted in a northwest Miami-Dade neighborhood early Tuesday morning, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said they responded just before 1 a.m. to the area of Northwest 64th Street and Northwest 21st Avenue in the county’s Gladeview area, where they found three vehicles struck by gunfire, including a silver Hyundai.

“The car was parked outside of the residence. It was occupied by three juveniles, so it was the girl and her two siblings that were in the vehicle. The mom was outside of the vehicle at the time, so this could have been a very different outcome,” MDSO Detective Samantha Choon said.

Authorities said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue medics transported the girl to a nearby hospital in stable condition.

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A family member of the victim told Local 10’s Jackie Pascale that the girl is now home and doing OK.

They said neither her siblings nor their mother was injured in the shooting.

According to investigators, no arrests have been made, and detectives have not released any suspect information at this time.

Neighbor Marie Grimes said she was shaken after hearing multiple gunshots.

“I heard the booms — boom, boom, boom, boom — and I said, ‘Oh my God, what’s happening?’” she said. “Maybe five or six, ’cause look at that right there. I’m just glad the little girl is OK.”

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Investigators asked neighbors to check their surveillance or Ring camera footage from around 1 a.m. and contact authorities with any information.

Anyone with information on the shooting is urged to contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477. Anonymous tips are accepted.

Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.





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