Inter Miami’s Matias Rojas signing means that head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino has another option in his squad to help offset the Herons’ growing injury concerns.
Rojas was officially announced as the newest Heron earlier this week after recent speculation, with the Paraguay international signed through the rest of the 2024 season with an option for 2025. Miami‘s latest signing comes just days after it was confirmed that winger/midfielder Diego Gomez will miss the next six weeks with an ankle injury.
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Gomez isn’t the only player on the treatment table, as Martino has been tasked with navigating early part of the campaign without forwards like Leo Campana, Robert Taylor, Bejamin Cremaschi, and Facundo Farias, who is out for the entire season after suffering an ACL tear during preseason.
Martino has also guided the team through periods without superstar Lionel Messi, but the Argentine is back to full fitness and doing what he does best while Cremaschi has also returned to action. Campana and Taylor are expected to take the field again by the middle of May, which will be a huge boost for Miami before Messi and Luis Suarez depart for Copa America.
With Rojas now on the team’s books, here’s how the south Florida side could lineup with their newest attacker in the side.
The left-footed Rojas’ preferred position is out on the right, but with the legendary Messi occupying that space when he’s not up top in a striker partnership with Suarez, Rojas will more than likely slot in as a left-winger in this scenario. However, if Messi is either given a breather or injured, you can expect to see Rojas playing on the right-wing.
Given that Rojas has experience as a midfielder, there’s also the slight chance that Martino plays him as a wing-back. But with Marcelo ‘Chelo’ Weigandt in the squad, the Herons don’t necessarily need to restrict a talented attacking player in a more defensive role.
Potential lineups
Despite playing primarily as a winger, Rojas has experience playing in the middle of the park. This would more than likely be a last-ditch situation for Martino, but it could come in handy if Rojas were to come off the bench to help see out a result in the midfield.
With defensive-minded midfielders Busquets and David Ruiz, Rojas could take on a midfield role where he’s given license to roam further up the pitch than the other two midfielders. Should Martino opt for a more defensive 3-5-2 setup, Rojas’ role would likely stay the same in the center.
Potential lineups
Rojas also has experience in the final third as an attacking midfielder. This is the more likely option for the 28-year-old if Martino doesn’t see him meshing well with the front line.
Miami typically don’t play with a traditional attacking midfielder in their XI, but Messi is usually given the freedom to roam just about anywhere in the attacking third. However, in tough times like Copa America when Messi won’t be in the squad but instead with Argentina, Rojas could be called upon to shoulder some of the creative responsibilities in either a 4-3-3 attack or 4-2-3-1 setup.
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