Inter Miami players are learning Spanish for Lionel Messi and giving him special training treatment
Inter Miami players are learning Spanish to communicate with Lionel Messi.
They also defend against the World Cup winner 'with caution' as the MLS side continue to reap the rewards of his arrival, says Inter Miami midfielder Edison Azcona.
3
3
Messi has come to the end of his first season with Inter Miami having joined them in July following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain.
As an Argentine, Spanish is the 36-year-old's mother tongue and he joined a squad full of other nationalities across the world.
However, it seems as though some of them are even willing to learn a new language in order to speak to the footballing legend.
"I have not heard Leo speak English," Dominican Republic international Azcona told .
READ MORE ON LIONEL MESSI
"Sometimes, he has said, 'Good morning' when he comes in, but those who speak English and do not know Spanish are learning to speak Spanish.”
Messi has undoubtedly made a huge impact on Inter Miami since he joined having scored 11 goals and assisted five in 14 appearances.
His quality has been more than apparent for years and his teammates appear to take extra precaution against him in training.
"Everyone understands that we are not going to try to hurt him,” Azcona added on the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner. "One tries to defend, but they are a little more careful.
Most read in Football
3
"We don't let him play in the games we play among ourselves, we defend him, but with caution. Nobody gets into it very hard.”
Messi and Inter Miami ended the season with a 1-0 defeat against Charlotte but still won the Leagues Cup earlier in the year.
Major League Soccer isn't set to return until late February or early March so the winger is due for some much needed rest in the coming weeks.
The new talkSPORT match centre
Keep up-to-date with all the latest football fixtures, results and standings in our new match centre.
Topics