Luis Suarez: Mascherano Admits 'Challenging' Call For Eastern Conference Final

Inter Miami gaffer Javier Mascherano admitted that choosing his starting lineup for the upcoming MLS Eastern Conference final against New York City FC has been challenging.

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This difficulty follows a successful, yet contentious, decision in the previous playoff match against FC Cincinnati, where Mascherano benched star striker Luis Suárez, opting instead to bring him on as a substitute.

Mascherano’s chosen starting front three—Lionel Messi, Tadeo Allende, and Mateo Silvetti—delivered a resounding 4-0 victory at TQL Stadium, with all three players scoring, thereby validating the coach’s tactical choice to hold Suárez back for the start of the game.

The Inter Miami head coach must choose their attacking lineup for the critical Saturday game at Chase Stadium, specifically deciding if they should retain the current front three or reinstate Suárez. Mascherano acknowledged the difficulty of making such significant squad choices, especially when they involve players with legendary careers.

“Clearly, when you have to make decisions, Luis’s situation is particularly challenging because of his profile and the career he’s had, given his importance to this club and the team,” Mascherano said as per ESPN.

“It’s never easy, but that doesn’t mean that the other decisions I’ve had to make are any easier, because when you have to make a decision, you have to take someone out and put someone else in, and you know that, both externally and internally, because I’m not going to be a hypocrite – names and hierarchies always matter.

“But in the end, you’re taking one person out and putting another in, and well, we try to do it, when we make these kinds of decisions, in the best way possible, with honesty, prioritising the group, prioritising what’s best for each match, and above all, in my case, trying to explain it to the player who’s being taken out, even if they don’t ask for an explanation.

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“But I think that many times it’s necessary to explain the reasoning, to say what the coach sees in order to make that decision, so that the player doesn’t think you’re making the decision arbitrarily.”

Despite his age (38) suggesting his career is winding down, Suárez remains a significant offensive contributor this season, evidenced by his tally of 17 goals and 17 assists in 49 matches during the 2025 campaign. However, these impressive statistics don’t assure the veteran Uruguayan forward a starting position in Saturday’s vital playoff match.

The strong performance of the current front three in last weekend’s win, particularly their dynamic interplay—where Allende and Silvetti make runs that create space for Messi to utilize his exceptional, deep-lying passing ability (highlighted by his three assists against Cincinnati)—presents a tough selection decision for the coach.

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