Inter Miami receives surprising fitness boost from Sergio Busquets

Midfielder Sergio Busquets has given Inter Miami a surprising boost on the eve of their crucial first-round game of the best-of-three playoff series against Atlanta United.

Although head coach Gerardo Martino said earlier in the day that Busquets remained unavailable due to a knock he suffered in the first playoff game against Atlanta on Oct. 25, the team announced late Friday that the former midfielder of Barcelona is questionable.

“We are confident that his recovery is progressing and hope that he will be available.” [Saturday’s] game,” Miami said.

The team will continue to face Saturday's challenge without Yannick Bright, although Martino added that he would likely return to the squad should Miami advance to the conference semifinals.

Although Inter Miami took the lead in the series by winning the first game in Fort Lauderdale 2-1, defensive errors lost the Herons as they lost the second game by the same score at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

And Martino agreed with striker Lionel Messi that the team had made “stupid mistakes” throughout the season, but insisted the players can overcome those mistakes to triumph in the final game of the first round.

“We made a lot of mistakes that we can avoid, because often they were, to put it nicely, stupid mistakes,” Messi said in a recent interview. “That can’t happen during the playoffs because the mistakes can cost you and lead to elimination.”

Referring to that comment, Martino said on Friday: “It's true that we made some mistakes that almost permanently cost us goals.”

“There are times when teams make mistakes that go unnoticed because they don't end up in the goal. And we made some mistakes that put us in a difficult situation, and even better, in the same game. But it's also true that we had a team that handled situations like that and we solved them in the best way all year long.”

After a historic 2024 MLS season, winning the Supporters' Shield and setting the league record for most points scored in a single season, Miami is now under pressure to return to action on Saturday at home to Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“We know what we have in the team and that we are the favorites to win the cup,” said Leo Campana. “Of course, all teams that come here or play with Inter want to show what they are capable of.”

“We are now a team that is represented all over the world and I think everyone wants to play against us. That’s why I believe all the players give their best every time they play against Inter.”