Sergio Busquets reacts to complaints from supporters who paid exorbitant prices for Inter Miami tickets but were unable to see Lionel Messi perform, saying, “We are not machines”

Due to injury and international commitments, Messi has missed three of Inter Miami’s previous four games. In the one game he did appear in—a victory against Toronto FC—the Argentinean was introduced briefly before being substituted due to an injury.

Since Messi moved to Miami, ticket costs have soared, leaving unhappy fans who missed seeing the Argentine. Busquets acknowledged that he shares their annoyance, particularly in light of the fact that Messi greatly simplifies his own job, but he emphasized that the public needs to remember that his old teammate is only human.

He remarked, “We understand humans, and we’re thrilled that they’re here, but we’re not machines or robots. Although we would prefer to play every minute, in the end, we consider the team’s overall well-being. Not just the fans, but everyone should feel bad about it.

Messi has not trained in preparation for Wednesday’s game, so his participation in the next U.S. Open Cup final against the Houston Dynamo is uncertain. Busquets underlined the obvious by stating that Miami would be in a much stronger position if Messi played on Tuesday after Miami manager Tata Martino expressed optimism that he could.

Not having the best player in the world is a disadvantage, he remarked. “Our team has noticed a big improvement. We’ll wait for tomorrow and hope he can join us and assist us, but in the event that he can’t, we’ll have other team members, and using their traits, we’ll attempt to stand out and be the best team possible while also being ready.

We understand who he is. We have been playing for a long time. We are familiar with one another, are aware of our goals for one another, and make every effort to support one another. Working and playing with him is always a pleasure.

Miami will play NYCFC and the Chicago Fire the week after the U.S. Open Cup final, two critical matches in their quest for the MLS playoffs.