Dybala wants to play beside Messi

Mexican side Monterrey sent Lionel Messi and Inter Miami crashing out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Wednesday after completing a 5-2 aggregate victory in their quarter-final clash.

Goals from Brandon Vazquez, German Berterame and Jesus Gallardo sealed a deserved 3-1 win on the night for the Liga-MX side, who advance to a semi-final with Major League Soccer champions Columbus.

Trailing 2-1 after last week's first leg in Florida, Inter Miami recalled Messi to their starting line-up for the first time since his near-month-long injury absence.

But the presence of the eight-time Ballon D'Or winner was not enough to inspire Inter against a Monterrey side who looked far sharper in all departments.

Inter goalkeeper Drake Callender was forced into action early on, saving smartly after a bullet header by Monterrey's US international striker Vazquez.

Messi had Miami's best chance of the first half but he shot over the bar from just inside the area on 25 minutes.

Monterrey took the lead on 31 minutes after Vazquez punished a howler from Callender.

The goalkeeper miscued an attempted pass to Sergio Busquets and found Vazquez just yards from the Miami goal.

The American coolly sent Callender the wrong way and tucked away the finish.

Inter Miami created little of note thereafter, with Messi's former Barcelona team-mate Luis Suarez rightly having a goal disallowed for offside in first-half stoppage time.

On 58 minutes, Monterrey left Miami with a mountain to climb with a fantastic strike from their own Argentine striker Berterame.

After crisp approach play, Berterame jinked clear of his marker on the edge of the area and crashed a thunderous strike into the top corner.

Six minutes later Berterame turned provider, chipping a cross to an unmarked Gallardo, who buried a perfectly timed header past Callender.

A miserable night for Miami ended in acrimony on 78 minutes when former Barcelona defender Jordi Alba was sent off after picking up his second yellow card for a stamp on Gallardo.

Diego Gomez nodded in a late consolation goal for Miami from Messi's inviting free-kick on 85 minutes.

Miami coach Gerardo Martino said Monterrey's second goal had killed the tie off.

"We said that even if we conceded the first goal it didn't change anything because we always needed to score twice," Martino said. "But their second goal ended the tie for us."

The CONCACAF Champions Cup is the premier regional club competition for North America, Central America and the Caribbean, with the winner of this year's tournament earning a place at next year's expanded FIFA Club World Cup.

Mexican clubs have dominated the Champions Cup since Guadalajara won the first edition in 1962, lifting the trophy 38 times.

Martino warned that MLS clubs would continue to struggle against Mexican teams because of tight salary and spending restrictions for sides in Major League Soccer.

"Until the MLS relaxes the rules to allow teams to have bigger squads and don't make it so hard to replace players because of injuries and suspensions, Liga-MX teams will continue to have an advantage," Martino said.

Paulo Dybala was left stunned when he was unveiled in front of around 10000 Roma fans at the Square Colosseum on Tuesday. 

Fans lined the streets of the Italian capital as the club presented their latest signing. Roma managed to secure Dybala's signature ahead of Serie A rivals Inter Milan and Napoli. 

It will not be an exaggeration to say that the breathtaking atmosphere in Rome raised it up to a similar level as Cristiano Ronaldo being showcased to a packed-to-the-rafters Santiago Bernabeu in 2009.

According to Football Italia, the stages for Dybala's big reveal were erected at Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana in the EUR section of Rome.

Photo: Twitter

Thousands upon thousands of Roma fans gathered on the runway where the Fendi fashion house holds its shows in what can only be described as a cauldron of atmosphere.

During the action-packed evening, Dybala did his trademark celebration and thanked fans for the stunning welcome he received. The Argentine then sat down on the steps outside the Palazzo Della Civilta Italiana as the fans serenaded him with the club's anthem. 

Dybala looked moved by the spine-tingling sound created by the fans who waved club flags in celebration at the Square Colosseum lit with Roma's club colours.

Earlier, Dybala had broken Cristiano Ronaldo's record for the number of shirt sales in Italy on his first day after moving to Serie A club Roma. 
 

Paulo Dybala will miss Argentina's upcoming friendlies with El Salvador and Costa Rica after his club Roma announced on Saturday that the forward had picked up a thigh injury.

In a statement Roma said that Dybala had suffered a "small tear" in his right thigh during training on Friday, ruling him out of Argentina's two matches in the United States.

Argentina face El Salvador in Philadelphia on March 23 and Costa Rica in Los Angeles four days later.

The 30-year-old will also sit out Roma's Serie A home clash with Sassuolo on Sunday as the capital club bid for Champions League football next season.

Roma are fifth, six points behind Bologna who currently sit in Italy's final spot for Europe's top club competition and beat Empoli 1-0 on Friday night.

However Italy are favourites to get an extra place due to their clubs' performances on the continent this term, meaning fifth could be enough for a place in next season's revamped Champions League.

Dybala has been in great form since the turn of the year, scoring 10 times and setting up one more in all competitions.

Roma face fellow Serie A outfit AC Milan in the quarter-finals of the Europa League next month.

Argentina have called up Lionel Messi for their upcoming South American World Cup qualifiers despite him being on the injured list at his club Inter Miami.

Messi missed Inter's 4-1 defeat to Chicago on Wednesday as he continues to struggle with his fitness -- he has played just 37 minutes for the club since September 3.

Argentina host Paraguay on October 12 and then travel to play Peru five days later in CONMEBOL qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

The 36-year-old has missed Inter's last three games and five of their last six but little detail has been given about his physical condition.

Miami's Argentine coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino initially said Messi was struggling with "muscle fatigue" but later referred to him being troubled by "scars" from an old injury.

The captain of Argentina's World Cup winning team last year in Qatar, Messi played and scored in his country's 1-0 win over Ecuador in Buenos Aires on September 7.

He asked to be substituted in the final minutes of that game and then missed the game, five days later, against Bolivia in La Paz, watching his team-mates from the sidelines.

Without Messi, Miami have failed to win their last three games, as their bid to reach the MLS playoffs has faltered.

Wednesday's game in Chicago was moved to Soldier Field, the home of the NFL's Chicago Bears and drew a crowd of 62,124 with many buying tickets in the hope of seeing the seven-times Ballon d'Or winner.

Martino was asked after the game about Messi's condition ahead of Saturday's game against Cincinnati and indicated he was improving.

"I think he's getting closer to playing again. We said, we'll evaluate him... to see if he's in condition (to play)," he said.

"The most important thing is he's leaving his injury behind and slowly discovering his best form... we'll see what's best ahead of the next game," he added.

Messi's Miami team-mate, 21-year-old winger Facundo Farias, has been called up to the national team squad for the first time.

Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho has also been included in Lionel Scaloni's squad for the upcoming qualifiers.

Manchester City extended Julian Alvarez's contract to 2028 on Thursday in recognition of an impressive debut season from the Argentine World Cup winner.

Alvarez has largely had to play second fiddle to Erling Haaland, but has still scored 10 goals in 33 appearances in his first season in England.

The 23-year-old also had a huge impact in helping Argentina to win their third World Cup in Qatar.

Alvarez scored four goals in the tournament, including two in the semi-final victory over Croatia.

The former River Plate forward has reportedly been handed a significant wage rise on top of extending the deal he signed just over a year ago by an extra 12 months.

"This is a very proud moment for me and my family. For a club like City to put their faith in me like this is amazing," said Alvarez in a club statement.

"I have been really pleased with my first season here, but I have plenty more I can do. I know I can be better, and City offer me everything I need to fulfil my potential."