Javier Mascherano has admitted he feels 'uncomfortable' coaching former team-mate Lionel Messi.
Mascherano, who took over as Inter Miami boss back in November 2024, shared countless battles with Messi during his playing days at Barcelona, with the duo also lining up together for Argentina.
But forced to coach arguably the game's greatest ever player, Mascherano is trying to deal with the awkwardness of the situation in the best way possible.
Javier Mascherano now coaches Lionel Messi and he isn't best pleased with the dynamic
"Sometimes I feel uncomfortable talking about him because I have been his team-mate for 20 years. Now it's my turn to help him in this stage as a coach," said Mascherano in a recent interview with Mundo Deportivo.
"He is a guy who has already done everything in football. He is the greatest in history and still sets an example of how to compete, continues to lead the way and guides new generations. Despite having won everything, until his last day on a pitch, he will want to win and do everything to achieve that."
The pair's success at Barcelona is unparalleled, with Pep Guardiola overseeing one of the best teams ever assembled at the Nou Camp. Together, Messi and Mascherano won five La Liga titles, two Champions League trophies, five Copa Del Rey victories, and two Club World Cups.
It's been a tough period for Inter Miami domestically, having now lost five of their last seven games in all competitions as they dropped to sixth in the Eastern Conference. Messi has urged his team to stay united amid a poor spell.
"Now we'll truly see if we're a team in difficult times, because when everything's going well it's very easy," said Messi as quoted by BBC Sport.
"When difficult times come, that's when we have to be more united than ever, be a true team, and pull ourselves together."
"When you are in this dynamic, if we each start pulling ourselves to the side it'll be impossible to overcome the moment," added Mascherano.
"It's clear that we must overcome this all together because clearly this team has shown, especially at the beginning of the season, what they are capable of."
