Luis Suarez on Neymar-to-Inter Miami rumors, early exit from MLS playoffs, goals for 2025

A reflective Luis Suarez said Inter Miami players have nobody to blame but themselves for their surprisingly early exit from the 2024 MLS playoffs, and they are eager to return to training camp this weekend to prepare for a jam-packed 2025 season.

“The loss to Atlanta was very painful for me, left me feeling powerless,” said Suarez, who was the Inter Miami player representative at MLS Media Day on Thursday at the Miami Beach Convention Center. “But there is no use dwelling on that. What we must do is be self-critical as players. We feel disappointed because we did not meet the expectations of the fans or the club.”

Suarez added that it still stings knowing they fell short of expectations.

“We had broken the points record, but futbol is not about awards, it’s about what you do on the field,” Suarez said. “We were the best team the entire regular season, we needed to show that in that playoff game against Atlanta, and we didn’t. We have to learn from that and be reminded that nobody gives you anything. It was very difficult to achieve what we did all season, but we are left with a bittersweet feeling.”

He dismissed any suggestion that the MLS playoff system did not favor Miami.

“We have to adapt to the rules of each league,” he said. “We can debate if we like it or not, but we knew in advance the MLS playoff rules. That is not an excuse for us being eliminated by the ninth-place team. We made errors in those games, and we were to blame.”

Suarez proved he is still a lethal weapon at age 37 with a team-high 25 goals last season and was rewarded with a contract extension through 2025.

He is eager to start the new season under new coach Javier Mascherano, who played alongside Suarez, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba at Barcelona.

Their first preseason game is Jan. 18 against Mexican champion Club America in Las Vegas. They have another preseason game against Orlando City in Tampa on Feb. 14, and there are reports they will add matches in Honduras and Peru. Miami kicks off the MLS regular season Feb. 22 against New York City FC.

“It’s strange to see Masche as our coach, but we still have respect for him and his staff and have to realize that he makes the decisions now and is no longer our teammate,” Suarez said.

Mascherano is also adapting to his new role.

“Not only my relationship with Leo [Messi], but also with Luis, Jordi [Alba], Sergio [Busquets]… We have lived extraordinary things for a long time and nothing will change that. My role is different, but we have the same objectives.”

Suarez and Mascherano addressed reports that Brazilian star Neymar, who also played at Barcelona, might be joining Inter Miami this year. Neymar, 32, is under contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal through June 2025, so it is possible he could join Miami as the Club World Cup gets going.

“Obviously, everyone knows about Ney as a player and the successful era we had together. Now we are in a different stage, much older than we were then, but it’s exciting to imagine playing again with a player of his quality who could help our team,” Suarez said.

“Like [Neymar] said, and everyone says the same thing, `Anything is possible in futbol,’ but right now it’s just speculation. To make it happen is complicated.”

Mascherano echoed Suarez’s sentiments.

“We cannot talk about Ney because we have nothing,” Mascherano said. “Obviously, Ney is a great player. Every coach in the world wants him, but at the moment, the MLS rules have a salary cap, so for us, in this moment, it is impossible.”

Meanwhile, Messi’s massive impact on MLS has not changed as he enters his second full season with Inter Miami. Although the Argentine icon and his teammates fell short in the playoffs, the team remains the highest profile in the league and one of the favorites to make a deep run and compete for the championship.

But the rest of the league saw that Miami is not invincible.

“Obviously, having probably the best player of all time and a lot of that group that played in Barcelona, it’s going to be tough to beat them; but I think it shows the growth of the league that they didn’t just run through and win MLS Cup,” Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris said.

“Atlanta got past them. Maybe it takes a special performance like Brad [Guzan] had against Miami to get past them, but obviously, they’re not unbeatable. The rest of the league can compete and win trophies, even with an incredible team like they have and the players they have.”

Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer joked that he had dinner with Messi upon arrival in Miami on Wednesday night.

“I got off the airplane from Seattle, had to walk a little bit to stretch my legs, I was hungry, so I walked into this Argentinean steakhouse and there’s Messi [pause] on that wall, Messi on that wall,” Schnetzer said, smiling. “The food was excellent, but obviously, the owners were Messi fans. Most of us are. He has made a tremendous impact in the league, a lot of people come to the games because of Messi. He’s everywhere. But when it comes down to it, you have to play the games, and Atlanta had a good story.”

Palisades fire affects LA Galaxy and LAFC

LA Galaxy coach Greg Vanney, whose team won the 2024 MLS Cup, opened his remarks by talking about the Los Angeles area fires, which he witnessed from an airplane as he took off for Miami on Wednesday. He said a former player lost his home and others affiliated with the club have been affected.

“A lot of people around the club and in the community are heavily affected by what’s going on, we’re trying to be supportive of those that are in harm’s way, or whose property is in harm’s way,” Vanney said. “We are hoping the winds die down and they can get these things under control.

“Taking off was incredible, leaving the city and flying out of LAX, going through a layer of smoke and being able to look out the window and see the fires on the side of the hill and in different parts of the community. It’s really shocking and devastating.”

LAFC star Olivier Giroud was scheduled to attend but canceled his plans due to the fires. He lives near the evacuation zone.

Benteke treated teammates to Miami trip

As a reward for helping him win the MLS Golden Boot award, D.C. United forward Christian Benteke invited teammates on an expenses-paid weekend trip to Miami in November. Benteke said it was a group of 12 players, they stayed in downtown Miami and had a great time.