MLS set to make major pitch changes after arrival of Lionel Messi at Inter Miami
Major League Soccer is considering making key changes including replacing its pitches to accommodate Lionel Messi.
Messi confirmed his arrival in MLS on Sunday evening when he was unveiled as an Inter Miami player.
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The World Cup winner signed a two-and-a-half-year deal at DRV PNK Stadium alongside former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets.
The move sees Messi call time on his illustrious career in European football, where he has performed for the most part on real grass.
However, a host of MLS clubs still use artificial pitches which have been linked to a number of injuries.
These surfaces have been preferred by some clubs due to its relative ease to maintain, however a 2019 study has shown a difference in the frequency of injuries between the two surfaces.
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Seattle, Atlanta, New England, Charlotte and Portland all currently use an artificial surface which has led to an increase in injuries, while another four use a type of hybrid grass that has reinforced roots with synthetic fibres.
Messi will feel at home at Inter Miami who deploy real grass in their 20,000-seater stadium but the Argentine will experience fake surfaces before the season ends when Miami face upcoming away trips to Charlotte and Atlanta.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber admits to being in favour of all club’s changing to natural surfaces but warns there is work to be done to get everybody on an even keel.
“MLS promotes a lot of international games and we have been able to bring natural grass into those stadiums, but we’ve never done that for a regular season game,” said Garber.
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“My expectations are that that’s what they will do, but there’s a lot of work that needs to be done to figure all of that out.”
“A lot of international stars come into Major League Soccer, and they are either intrigued or concerned about not playing on grass.
“And then you see some of the best players who’ve ever played the game, the [Thierry] Henrys of the world and Kakas of the world, who played on turf.”
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