Lionel Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami billed as a ‘sensation’ for MLS as Los Angeles FC star Timothy Tillman says ‘every player is looking forward to duel with him’
Lionel Messi’s imminent arrival at Inter Miami has been billed as a “sensation” for MLS by Los Angeles FC star Timothy Tillman.
- Lionel Messi joining Inter Miami
- Biggest name to join MLS in history
- Los Angeles FC star sends message to 36-year-old
WHAT HAPPENED? Messi has agreed to join MLS side Inter Miami after his contract at Paris Saint-Germain runs out at the end of this month. The 36-year-old had offers to join Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, while a Barcelona return was off the table due to Financial Fair Play (FFP) limitations, but will link up with the Miami outfit in July. Now, one of his upcoming opponents has given his thoughts on the transfer.
WHAT THEY SAID: Los Angeles FC midfielder Tillman cannot wait to face off against the Argentinian World Cup winner. He told GOAL in an exclusive interview: “It’s a sensation for the whole league. Every player is looking forward to the duel with him. For me personally, it is something very special to play against him soon.”
The 24-year-old also spoke about working with legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti at Bayern Munich in 2016-17. The former German Under-19 international never played for Bayern’s first-team, but got to train under the Italian boss, who was sacked by the Bundesliga outfit in September 2017, and he made quite an impression on the then-teenager.
“He [Ancelotti] knows how to deal with stars. But he wasn’t the most talkative with the young players. Still, he made you feel like you belonged. Football-wise, I have developed incredibly thanks to the training sessions with the professionals,” added Tillman.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi is, arguably, the biggest name to ever join MLS, which has also seen the likes of David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney light up the competition down the years.
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IN TWO PHOTOS:
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WHAT NEXT? Messi is enjoying a summer break but is set to make his Inter Miami debut against Mexican side Cruz Azul on July 21. He will not, however, take part in the MLS All-Star match against Arsenal on July 19 – as he has not been named in Rooney’s squad for the clash.
