Top 2 takeaways from Inter Miami's atrocious loss against Charlotte FC | OneFootball

Inter Miami went through a rough patch on Saturday night. This patch is called Charlotte FC. The Herons played an awful game. They were unrecognizable.

Still, it doesn’t surprise anyone that Las Garzas lost their offensive power without Luis Suarez, suspended due to his altercation in the Leagues Cup against the Seattle Sounders.

Even with Lionel Messi, the Herons could capitalize on their attacks and suffer too many times on defense. Adding that the Avile’s red card didn’t help the team.

Javier Mascherano made good changes with the substitution, but the Crown’s performance was too much for Inter Miami.

From InterHeron, we bring you the two takeaways from this encounter between Las Garzas and Charlotte FC.

Fans bullied Suarez, but his absence is crucial for the offense

At the start of the 2025 season, MLS and Heron fans mocked about how Luis Suarez was too old to keep playing. That he should retire, and how his knees aren’t made for running.

However, game passes, and Luis Suarez was a machine. Maybe he doesn’t score goals in every match or make beautiful plays like Messi.

But people need to give him credit. The offensive dirty job, fighting with he defenders, defending every ball, using his physique to create spaces behind for his teammates, is made only by the Uruguayan striker.

Against Tigres, Orlando, and many more times, Suarez was the attacking reference. A reference used by Messi or another player to avoid rivals and leave them in front of the opposing goal.

The Charlotte FC clash showed the lack of offensive power without the former FC Barcelona footballer. It’s true, Allende was alone in the attack, but even that isn’t right.

The movement of the Argentinian is common; he makes them every game. The issue came with the lack of players inside the box when the former Celta de Vigo man moved out wide.

The game Suarez proposes isn’t pretty, but he is a goalscorer who is always waiting for the pass or the moment to score a goal.

Without him, the only attacking reference is Allende, who isn’t a natural striker, but more of a playmaker or someone who tends to stay on the sides.

Inter Miami’s defense needs to dedicate itself to another discipline

I know the headline is quite harsh, but it is the truth. It is not the first time the defense has failed to mark at least one rival. I was tired of watching on my screen the number of times Wilfred Zaha and Idan Toklomati were alone and had the freedom to control the ball and think the pass.

Where to start. Let’s go with he irresponsible action of Aviles. In Argentine slang, the former Racing defender would be considered “green.”

This doesn’t refer to the color, but rather to someone who doesn’t think and keeps making blunders one after another without learning from their consequences.

This is not the first time Aviles has been expelled from a game. Even better, he's spent more time off the field than on the active roster.

Then, Lujan is unintelligible. You can’t comprehend how he made the mistake he made. When he makes good passes, his defensive skills are the ones jeopardized.

Now, the Herons should be upset that Gonzalo’s Piovi signing didn’t go through.

Unfortunately, Maximiliano Falcón’s solid performance was overshadowed by the team’s struggles. He stood out as the best among the defenders, but received little support from his teammates.

Don't you think I forgot about Ian Fray and Jordi Alba. The two fullbacks have the same problem. During the attack, they are crucial and play a good role in helping the midfielders open the game to the sidelines.

However, when it's time to defend, they don’t appear. And that’s where the other team outnumbered you.

At the Bank of America Stadium, when Charlotte’s midfielders had the ball, they were three (with Zaha and Toklomati) against the two center-backs.