Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Pizarro available to team
He’ll play vs. Orlando after Mexico obligations
There will be a revolving door of availability involving two of Inter Miami CF’s designated players versus Orlando City SC.
Midfielder Rodolfo Pizarro will rejoin the team’s match-day roster Saturday, but forward Gonzalo Higuain will miss the game against Inter Miami’s in-state rival since he received a red card after the team’s match against the Montreal Impact on Oct. 17.
Pizarro missed Inter Miami’s past four games due to playing in friendlies in the Netherlands for
Mexico’s national team earlier in the month and having to go through Major League Soccer’s COVID19 mandatory quarantine protocol after returning to the U.S.
“He’s going to be available for Saturday,” Inter Miami coach Diego Alonso said about Pizarro. “He’s very important to us. We trust him and are confident in his level.”
Pizarro had been an integral part of the team’s attack before leaving the country for international duty, recording three goals and five assists, and leading Inter Miami in both categories during the early parts of the season.
“In the first few matches of the season, he had a very important level,” Alonso said, “For us, it’s going to be important for him to recover his best level of play.”
The Mexican midfielder’s return comes at a critical time for Inter Miami (5-11-3, 18 points).
They’re just outside the playoff standings at 12th place in the 14-team East Conference standings. The top 10 teams in the conference make the playoffs, with Inter Miami only two points behind 10th-place Chicago Fire FC.
The team’s hoping Pizarro’s inclusion in Saturday’s lineup will help provide a spark for an Inter Miami squad that’ll be without one of its best offensive threats in Higuain.
“Gonzalo gives us a lot of rhythm and we know he’s important in the attack because he attracts a lot of defensive players, giving us more space,” Inter Miami defender Leandro Gonzalez Pirez said. “Everyone knows what Gonzalo can do, but we’ll try to replace him the best we can.”
Referee Tim Ford gave Higuain the red card after the game against Montreal, saying the Argentine forward using “offensive, insulting and abusive language” in a postgame argument with him.
Higuain, Gonzalez Pirez, Nico Figal and Blaise Matuidi could be seen arguing with Ford after the match against Montreal ended.
“We were so angry because of what happened on during the play on [Montreal’s] second goal,” Gonzalez Pirez said. “It started with a clear foul on Nico Figal and after that in the final play of the game, we had discussions about they kicked me in the back on the last throw-in.
“[We wanted] the referee to check the play and he didn’t. He didn’t want to call anything for us, and that’s why we were so angry. He was a little arrogant with us and that’s why we were so mad.”
While Alonso appreciates Higuain’s competitiveness, he doesn’t want his players to take things too far and be ejected from games.
“We don’t like any player to be sent off,” Alonso said. “We had conversations about it. Personally, I like players who are defending their team but it’s not necessary to get sent off to show your commitment.
“Gonzalo’s very committed with this club, his teammates and the coaching staff. The referee can’t be an excuse for us. We’ve left that behind and we’re excited about the upcoming match.”