Fresh off a thrilling encounter with Nashville SC that saw Inter Miami lift their first ever trophy in club history, head coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino is already looking towards the Herons' next challenge.
While Martino was pleased with delivering success at his new club, he knew that there wasn't much time to relish in Miami's victory. The Herons suit up again for another tournament, this time in the US Open Cup against FC Cincinnati on August 23, just four days after lifting the Leagues Cup trophy.
Before the former Atlanta United boss moved on to his side's next matchup, he explained how far Miami has come in such a short amount of time: "I remember the first days [in charge at the club]; we needed to do more trainings to give shape to the team and I was thinking, how convenient it is to move on in this tournament, because we can take advantage of this month to play more."
But Martino knows that this is just the beginning for the Herons, as they have a lot of work to do in MLS to finish in a playoff spot as well as their aspirations in the US Open Cup.
READ THE LATEST INTER MIAMI & LIONEL MESSI NEWS, RUMOURS & GOSSIP
"But after this month, we are champions, so it feels great, and it helps us continue growing, keep dreaming," he said. "I think we clearly understand now what we can do looking forward after starting work at this club 30, 35 days ago."
Now, with valuable experience under their belts, Miami are equipped for their next challenge and whatever else may be thrown at them along the way, including the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup.
"There's not a long time to celebrate. On Wednesday we have another game and we will continue playing and competing like this in the different tournaments. This one is in the past. And now we are dreaming about the match against Cincinnati next Wednesday," Martino stated.
"Now we better understand the future, and it's more clear."
After Miami's clash with Cincy, they travel up the east coast to take on New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on August 26, marking Messi's first appearance in MLS.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Gerardo Martino urges Inter Miami re-focus following Leagues Cup title.
