SI Soccer
·19 November 2024
SI Soccer
·19 November 2024
After leading Inter Miami to a shocking Round One exit in the MLS Cup playoffs, Gerardo 'Tata' Martino is leaving the club, per GiveMeSport's Tom Bogert.
Bogert reported the Argentine has decided to part ways with Inter Miami due to personal reasons. Martino leaves the club with a 38-13-16 record over 67 matches. The Argentine was pivotal in Inter Miami's Leagues Cup victory in 2023, but couldn't get the team over the line in the playoffs.
The news comes just 10 days after Martino's former club, Atlanta United eliminated the Herons in a best-of-three series. After winning Game 1 at Chase Stadium, Inter Miami lost the next two matches, ending their season much earlier than anyone expected. Losing two games in a row to an Atlanta United team many thought inferior left a sour taste in fans' mouths to end the season.
Inter Miami were the favorites to lift MLS Cup after winning the 2024 Supporters’ Shield with a record-breaking 74 points. Led by Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez up top, the club put together the greatest regular season in MLS history.
Still, it was not enough to claim Inter Miami's first MLS Cup. Martino achieved the feat with Atlanta United back in 2018, but after just two seasons in Miami, the coach is moving on. Along with the 2024 Supporters' Shield, the Argentine won the 2023 Leagues Cup with the Herons.
Whoever Miami brings it next will be tasked with not only a deeper run in the playoffs, but also improving a defense that ended up being the team's weak point. The reliance on a high line left the Herons exposed and was ultimately their downfall. Miami led MLS in errors resulting in a shot (26) and goalkeeper Drake Callender only kept five clean sheets in 32 starts conceding 1.41 goals-per-game.
Miami's attacking prowess might've bailed them out of situations throughout the season, but a strong defense will be pivotal in taking the next step in 2025.
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