Muller: The past doesn't matter ahead of Messi MLS final clash | OneFootball

After just four months with the Vancouver Whitecaps, Thomas Muller will compete in a "perfect final" of the North American soccer league (MLS) on Saturday against Inter Miami's Lionel Messi, reigniting a rivalry that has so far been very favorable to the German.

This Thursday, the former Bayern Munich captain expressed pride in his history of matchups against the Argentine star, which includes Germany's victory over Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final, although he believes the past should not influence this duel between the two best teams of the season.

"For the media and for the MLS, it makes sense to highlight Messi and me, and the other big names, but these are two teams with a very attractive and exciting style of play. It's a perfect final, in my opinion," Muller declared in the press room of Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (near Miami), the venue for the final.

"I don't want to talk much about the games we've played," said the attacking midfielder when asked about his previous encounters against Lionel Messi and other Inter Miami stars like Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and the current coach, Javier Mascherano.

Against Messi, "I always played with my team. I never played one-on-one," commented the German, who won seven of his ten duels against the Argentine star, most of them in contests for the biggest trophies.

In one of the most shocking chapters, Muller scored two goals in Bayern's humiliating 8-2 victory over Barcelona, which included Messi, Alba, and Busquets, in the 2020 Champions League.

"I had many great experiences in those games with my teams. It was fun. But that doesn't matter much for Saturday. It's a new game," he stated. "I always have confidence to win or compete against someone, both as a team and individually, so I don't need my history to feel confident."

Muller, 36, has been dealing with a calf injury but expressed confidence in being ready for a final where he also doesn't mind that his opponent is considered the favorite.

"We know what to expect from them, but we are focused on our game. We have a lot of confidence in ourselves (…) Since I arrived here, I have the feeling that we are a very united group," he recalled.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.