Blaise Matuidi says MLS probe ‘in the past.’ Higuain, Pizarro questionable for Friday
Inter Miami midfielder Blaise Matuidi, addressing the media Tuesday for the first time this season, said he tried not to let the MLS investigation of his contract become a distraction and he is relieved that the issue is behind him.
MLS fined the club a league-record $2 million last month for breaking roster budget rules last season by underreporting salaries of five players. The probe began with Matuidi’s contract. None of the players committed any infractions, nor were they aware of the violations, according to the league.
“For me, the most important thing is to be great on the field and [the investigation] was not my part,” said Matuidi. “I was focused on the pitch. [I had to deal with distractions] for my family, just for that, but at the end I explained it to them and that’s it. For me, it’s most important to be the best on the field and help my team. The club resolved the things with the league, so it’s the past now. We have to focus on the pitch.”
Matuidi, the French World Cup champion, has been working on his English since arriving to South Florida last summer and conducted Tuesday’s interview in English.
Asked how he has handled the pressure of the investigation and high expectations because he came from Italian powerhouse Juventus, Matuidi replied: “In my career I’ve been under pressure, so it’s normal. I work hard every day. I know I can be better. [Coach] Phil [Neville] expects me to be a leader, to help the teammates and young players and I try to do that every day.”
Despite having the league’s highest payroll, Inter Miami has struggled. The team finished in 10th place in the Eastern Conference in its debut season and lost to fellow expansion club Nashville SC in the opening round of the playoffs.
Through nine games this season under new coach Neville, the team is in 11th place with a 2-5-2 record heading into Friday night’s home game against second-place Orlando City (4-1-3). Miami has lost its past three games and has been outscored 5-0.
Last Saturday, Miami lost 1-0 on the road to D.C. United in a game marred by controversial calls. Two Miami players – midfielder Gregore and defender Ryan Shawcross — were ejected, and D.C.’s winning goal came on a penalty kick after a questionable hand ball call on defender Christian Makoun.
The club appealed Gregore’s second yellow card, and Neville said the club has had “positive dialogue’ with the league and he expects they will rescind both red cards and reinstate the two players for Friday’s game.
Matuidi said the three-game scoreless streak can hurt the team’s confidence, but he remains optimistic that they will get on track as the season goes on.
“We forget that the club is new,” Matuidi said. “The club is only one year and a half. I understand people expect a lot from us, but I think it’s step by step. We have the team to compete. We have a lot of quality, but what is missing is experience.
“We have this logo [he said, pointing to the team crest on his shirt], it’s important, because we are one of the teams that all the people around the world look at. We understand that.”
Higuain, Pizarro questionable
Two of the team’s three Designated Players, forward Gonzalo Higuain and midfielder Rodolfo Pizarro, are questionable for Friday’s game.
Pizarro has a nagging hip injury and returned to partial training Tuesday for the first time in four weeks. Higuain, who was left home from the D.C. game, participated in the first part of practice Tuesday but then returned to solo work as he tries to get himself match fit.
“They are just slowly starting to get integrated into the team and with it being only Tuesday, there are still a lot of boxes left for them to tick in terms of selection and availability for Friday,” Neville said. “Rodolfo has to do a lot more physical work. Gonzalo is probably a little further along. It was good to have them back with the team for the short time we did, and hopefully we can build them up for the rest of the season.”
Neville said Hugain missed four or five days of training during the international break with a slight leg injury, and he and the coaching staff decided it would be best for him to take time off to focus fully on his fitness. The Argentine forward, the league’s third-highest paid player, has not been in peak form all season.
“Gonzalo wants to be his absolute best, wants to be a success in this league and leave a legacy with this football club, and we spoke about that with him,” Neville said. “He’s the driving force behind this, about him being at absolute peak physical condition, mental condition, to be able to be the Gonzalo Higuain that we love. He’s had really good games this season, but we felt, myself and Gonzalo, that we wanted to make sure he was 100 percent fit and firing on all cylinders.”
Inter Miami will soon enter a stretch with three games per week, and Neville said Higuain needs to be able to cope with that and stay durable.
Forward Robbie Robinson (hamstring) and defender Sami Guediri (leg injury) are “advancing really well,” Neville said, but likely won’t be ready for a few weeks. Robinson has returned to light jogging. “He’s just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we don’t foresee him back for the next few games” Neville said. “We need to make sure he is fully recovered. Sami will be a little longer.”
