4 August 3-9, 2023 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | news | letters | coNteNts | MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ FORT LAUDERDALE BIG THREE 2.0 WHO ARE MESSI’S EX-TEAMMATES JOINING HIM AT INTER MIAMI? BY ALEX DELUCA A new “Big Three” may be in the making in South Florida. Lionel Messi stunned the sports world last month when he revealed he was inking a deal with David Beckham’s Major League Soccer squad, passing on a $425 million deal from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal team. The 35-year-old Argentinian footballer was ulti- mately drawn to Inter Miami via an enticing offer reportedly sweetened by revenue-shar- ing agreements with Apple, holder of the worldwide broadcast rights for MLS, and Ad- idas, the league’s exclusive jersey supplier. It appears Miami also had an ace in the hole — a chance for Messi to get the boys back together. As Messi kicks off his stateside journey, sev- eral familiar faces have joined him on the field, including his former Barcelona coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino and two former teammates, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. A third former Messi teammate, Luis Suárez, has reportedly tried to jump ship to Inter Miami. If all goes well, Messi, Busquets, and Alba could form a trio to match the dominance of the Miami Heat’s “Big Three” of the early 2010s. The on-the-field chemistry already ap- peared to be in full swing in Inter Miami’s July 25 game against Atlanta United in the Leagues Cup. About eight minutes into the match, Busquets booted a ball from midfield, which Messi picked up, bounced off the post, and then tapped in for a score. Messi scored a second goal, leading Miami to a 4-0 win, which clinched a spot for the team in the tournament’s next round. While Messi has indisputable status as an international soccer legend, the former Bar- celona crew with whom he’s now been re- united are not exactly household names among many South Floridians who range from casual fans to being completely oblivi- ous to soccer goings-on. For those yearning to bolster their fútbol bona fides, we’ve rounded up a brief rundown of Messi’s reunited squad. Sergio Busquets Considered one of the best defensive mid- fielders in the modern soccer age, the Catalo- nia-born 35-year-old played with Messi at Barcelona for 15 seasons. Busquets has racked up nine La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles, and three UEFA Champions Leagues throughout his club ca- reer while being crowned European and World Cup Champion for his home country of Spain. He said he was retiring from inter- national football following the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Unveiled as a new addition to Inter Miami player on July 16, Busquets’ deal with the team runs through the 2025 season. “I am excited to welcome Sergio Busquets to Inter Miami,” managing owner Jorge Mas said in a press release. “Since day one, we have set out to bring the world’s best players. Sergio’s repertoire speaks for itself.” Jordi Alba On July 20, Inter Miami officially signed the 34-year-old Spaniard, reuniting him with Bus- quets and Messi from their days at Barcelona. Alba, who played 11 seasons for Barcelona and has been deemed one of the best left- backs of his generation, provided 23 assists to Messi throughout his career. Known for the attacking side of his game, he has won five La Liga titles, five Copa del Rey titles, and one UEFA Champions League title at club level. He made 93 international appearances for Spain’s national team and was part of its winning team for the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship and the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League. In 2015, Alba, Busquets, and Messi won the European treble, achieved when a club team wins three trophies (their domestic league and cup titles, plus the UEFA Champi- ons League) in a single season. According to the Miami Herald, he made $24 million last season and will take a hefty pay cut at Inter Miami. “Tata” Martino Inter Miami confirmed hiring Argentine Ge- rardo “Tata” Martino as its coach on June 28. “Tata is a highly respected figure in our sport whose track record speaks for itself,” Beckham said. “We are confident that his achievements in the game and experience as a head coach will inspire our team and excite our fans and look forward to seeing the im- pact he will have on and off the field.” Martino, who coached Messi at Barcelona during the 2013-2014 season and with Argen- tina’s national team,led Atlanta United to an MLS championship in 2018 with current In- ter Miami forward Josef Martínez as the main goal scorer. Having fallen short of a championship trophy with Messi at Barce- lona and again at the helm of Argentina’s na- tional team, Martino will be looking to break that spell at Inter Miami. He replaces Phil Neville, who was termi- nated as the team’s manager last month fol- lowing a four-game losing streak. | RIPTIDE | GET MORE NEWS & COMMENTARY AT MIAMINEWTIMES.COM/NEWS Lionel Messi celebrating with FC Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets. Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images ▼ MIAMI GARDENS MOMENT OF SILENCE CLEMSON STUDENT SUCCUMBED TO FATAL MEDICAL EMERGENCY AT ROLLING LOUD. BY JESSE FRAGA A n online fundraiser says it is aiming to support the family of the 23-year-old university student who died following a medical emergency at the grounds of Miami’s largest hip-hop festival, Rolling Loud. Shortly after midnight on Sunday, July 23, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue paramedics took Jordan Petrocchi from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he died later that day around 3 p.m., police say. Petrocchi was expected to graduate in Au- gust from Clemson University in South Carolina, according to the GoFundMe organized by Jack- son Kroger with help from Brandon Black. “Whether it was lending a helping hand to a friend in need or simply brightening up the room with his laughter, Jordan had an undeniable im- pact on all of our lives,” the fundraising page reads. “His outgoing nature and infectious smile never failed to lift the spirits of those around him.” The fundraiser has exceeded its $10,000 goal to cover funeral expenses and help support Pet- rocchi’s mother and family. “You were the sweetest, most fun person to be around, and I’m so grateful for the friendship we had. Rest in paradise my friend. I’ll miss you,” one contributor to the fundraiser wrote. The GoFundMe page says the funds will be overseen and managed by Petrocchi’s mother. Kroger, the organizer, is described as a Clemson classmate of Petrocchi. Extending its condolences, a recreation cen- ter near Greenville, South Carolina, said Petroc- chi worked at its facility in the summer of 2022. “We are all devastated by the unexpected passing of Jordan Petrocchi…. Jordan was con- stantly singing or humming, always making new friends on his shuttle, and telling us the best sto- ries. We will miss his kind heart and his big smile,” the Saluda Outdoor Center said in a social media post. Petrocchi’s cause of death is unclear, but “no signs of trauma were noted,” Miami-Dade Police public infor- mation officer Alvaro Zabaleta says. “We are still wait- ing on the toxicology report,” Zabaleta tells New Times. Miami set daily heat records during the festival, reaching 97 degrees on July 22 and 23, the highest temperature ever recorded in the city on those dates, according to University of Miami data. Police have not publicly commented on whether heat played a role in Petrocchi’s death. Rolling Loud ran from Friday, July 21, to Sunday, July 23, drawing tens of thousands of fans to Hard Rock Stadium. Florida’s scorching heat wave did not stop crowds from packing the stadium shoulder-to- shoulder to see the outdoor music festival, which brought more than 120 artists from around the world to four stages, including headliners Ice Spice, Travis Scott, and Ski Mask the Slump God. “We will continue to provide our full support to the authorities as they investigate. Our condo- lences are with the young man’s family and friends,” a Rolling Loud spokesperson said in a statement. The concert map indicates one water station was marked near the entrance, with another near the bathroom area by the Sprite Stage. At least three medic stations were marked on the map: one by the Sprite Stage, another near the GoPuff Stage, and a third by the Culture Kings Stage. [email protected] “HIS OUTGOING NATURE AND INFECTIOUS SMILE NEVER FAILED TO LIFT THE SPIRITS OF THOSE AROUND HIM.”
