Diego Valeri explains how to beat Inter Miami

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Welcome back to another episode of No Sadietes on the Sounder at Heart Podcast Network. I am Jeremiah O'Shan. Joining me today for a special preview of the League's Cup, someone I'm very excited to have back on the show. You know this person very well. They are a former MLS MVP. They have more than 250 appearances in MLS. He is someone who has broken the heart of the Sounders many, many times, but we still love him. He is also one of the main voices for MLS in Spanish on Apple TV.

Welcome back to the show, Diego Valeri. It's great to have you. Hey, Jeremiah, how are you? Thank you for having me on your show. Yeah. So for your kind words. Oh, yeah. No, no. My pleasure. So we'll definitely talk about Miami. But before we get into that, I just wanted to say the last time we had you on, it was right after the signing of Pedro de la Vega. You were teammates with Pedro at Lanús. You know him very well.

How much how much pride and how much joy does it give you to see the way that he's playing right now? I mean, he's one of he's suddenly emerged in the last couple of months as really one of the best players in on the Sounders. A hundred percent. Well, you know, I'm proud of him. I'm proud. I'm proud of the way he handled the not the best moments. Right. So the adaptation because.

You know, always there's a big expectation on a new, you know, a new sign, a new young DP and DP, right? So, and a team, they say, ah, but it's always, you know, making, getting into finals and... signing great players, right? And it's not easy. You know, we got to think that they're young people. It's the first time they go out of the country and they need...

You know, they need some time to know the league, to adapt, even physically. Right. So I'm so proud of him in the way he did it. Always with a smile in the face. Right. Always positive for the team. Always with great. relationship, right? Even though sometimes, you know, the player has the ego and wants to play always. And he always was an important piece of the team handling. even some injuries.

I texted him yesterday and I say that to him. I'm proud of the way you did it, right? Now he's in a different stage of his staying here in Seattle. Yeah. And he's scoring goals. He feels so... much confident right and and uh i think that the the way he did it it was it was a it was a positive for the team even though they were all waiting about

you know, increasing Pedro's level into the field, which now is fantastic. And he will be better. He will be better because he has all what the player needs to. to become a very important piece of the team of a winning team so i'm so happy about him and and you know Every time I text you, you're making me celebrating Saunders goals. So that's Mashiko.

Yeah, I can only imagine there's got to be a little bit of mixed emotions with that. But, you know, one of the things that has really struck me about Pedro is how much he has embraced seemingly...

the entire package. He's not just here to play soccer, but one of the things that really opened my eyes to kind of what a special person he was and sort of how different he was from... A lot of players who come here from overseas or from other countries was, you know, I went to a... a pride event the the uh the the flag raising event at at lumen field it was him and andrew thomas and he just seemed so happy

to be there, to be participating in like a community event. You know, it wasn't, there wasn't a lot of cameras. There wasn't a lot of people, but just his excitement for being part of something that was you know, bigger than him. And he seemed to really be embracing the whole idea of what it means to be a member of the, not just a team, but a member of the community.

Totally, totally. He's such a great person. And even though he's not from Lanus, right? He grew up in Lanus and you know Lanus, it's... It's about that. It's a community, a very strong community, right? And he grew up with that sense. And he is such a great person, so mature about civics, right? About how to behave, right? And how it's good for the city.

uh but but then at the end right which that being said i know him people starts you know they begin to know him very well outside the field but at the end a player right a soccer player they the supporters the people they want to see what they do in the field right first And now he now he obviously is adding value, not only because what he's doing into the field. I totally agree with you. I knew that. I knew his commitment with the city and with some of the rights and with someone.

the things that are good for the society, for the city you live. And I'm happy that he is so involved in that in a community like Seattle, but still performing in the field, which is, you know.

which is at the end for a soccer player the most important. Absolutely. And I think that's one of the things that's most interesting about this run of form that the Sounders are in. You know, basically since the Club World Cup. They have been probably the hottest team in all of North America. They're scoring goals. Suddenly they're scoring goals at alarming numbers.

And Pedro has been a huge, huge part of that. You know, it's sort of like his rise from being a nice complimentary player to a player who really can take control of games or at least can change games. very quickly, has been remarkable to see. And it's not just, you know, his attacking ability, it's his effort on defense, it's his ability in the open field.

He can change games in ways that other players on the Sounders have really not been able to since Nico Ladero was really in his best form. And I guess as it relates to this game... How important for the Sounders is a player like Pedro when you're playing a defense that can sometimes be, you know, a little open? Oh.

Well, it's going to be very important because Miami, it's a team that really can punish you in the attack, right? So the Seattle, I mean, Seattle Sounders is a team that... it's functionality is really good all of the players are very committed to help and to make the team a solid team in terms of defense right and that's key so you need that Most likely from the wingers because Miami push.

push outside backs always forward right and to add that extra number in the attack and in in the case i know Pedro now is most likely playing on the left but sometimes they switch uh you know most likely Jordi Alba is it's like a tent in the attack so you need an extra help because they're so much so capable Miami's players to break pressure right if you just uh

defend them one by one, they're going to punish you. They're going to beat you. Right. So it's got to be a block. So in those terms, it's really important. And then and then because of that, right, Miami. always gives space in defense right in terms of defending so you gotta attack them quickly you gotta overload them all the time and they suffer in those terms

Pedro is very important because he will be capable to make, you know, long distance kickings, right? He will be capable to connect with the outside back. He will be capable to play inverted on the left. and creating chances of combinations in internal combinations which Miami suffers a lot.

so crosses so he will be he will be key in the game he'll be key in the game in terms of how to add a number defensively and in the middle of the field to possess and get the ball out from Miami and then obviously where the soccer defines everything which is the boxes. Thank you for listening to the Sounder at Heart Podcast Network, which now includes Nos Anietes, Lobbing Scorchers, and The Cooler Guild.

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Yeah, so this is only the second time that the Sounders have played Miami. Interestingly enough, both of them are at Lumen Field. But the previous time the Sounders played Miami, it could not have really been a different team. It was... the early stages of 2023, before Messi came, before all of his buddies came. And this was a team that was at the time coached by Phil Neville that was really kind of struggling and was much more of sort of like...

a workman team because they, they had sort of left their roster kind of bare with the anticipation of bringing in messy and, and, and I guess Busquets and Alba and, and later Suarez. I, it was. And so everyone knows now that that Barcelona, that Miami is just stacked with all these famous players. They also just they recently added Rodrigo de Paul, who faced the Sounders.

when he was with Atletico Madrid in the Club World Cup. But outside of the star players, they have some, or the big names, I should say, they have some really effective... younger guys and players who are not as famous. What can you tell us about some of the other ways that Miami tends to hurt teams outside of the big name guys? Yeah, so that's the reality. So they are a totally different team that the Seattle Sounders face in 2023.

because of the roster, not because of the big names. The roster is totally different. uh actually they have sold some of the young guys like redondo like gomez last giga gomez last year right so they are totally different team they're more balanced right uh in terms of all of the Guys like Segovia, Agende, Tadeo Agende, the Argentinian guy, guys like Bright, Janik Bright, that it's in the middle of the field, getting ball backs for them to play, actually.

uh helping Busquets to become a better player in this Miami right because you know MLS how games just stretch and and opens up at some point of the game and Busquets you know uh to cover the ground It's a different player if he has right or not on the side. Right. And then I think, you know, in the right back.

Guys like Wagan and Ian Frye that gives them compliments. Frye is more, you know, more physical, right? More athletic. Wagan is more... a 1v1 guy more defensive and more static on on his position right so they can use that spot uh obviously obviously they have a different goalie you know a goalie that has a lot of experience, and then the core of the team is totally different. Plus the names they have, Suarez and Messi and Jordi Alba, they can change the game.

in a just a simple action, right? So if the team is not playing great, if suffering, they can make plays. They can make those plays that are... out of the flow of the game, right? So basically, I think, you know, Allende and Segovia are key for the team, besides the big names, right?

last game against um against orlando the coaching staff decided to add them at the second in the second half uh both of them and they changed the games again they created the pk segovia score score the third goal to finish the the game and why they did that because i think miami still it's lack of uh substitutions right so they still have so you know young guys like Morales right like Santi Morales or like Obando right like guys that still they need more minutes and they're not at the same

rhythm of all of the rest. So they use for substitutions guys like Fafapi Gold, right? So Mascherano decided to add. Segovia and Hacienda in the second half because Miami suffered a lot in the last 20, 25 years. minutes of the second half always physically right so when they gotta hold the result or even push for it they they suffer a lot so they use this these two guys that are key for me uh in terms of who can change the game

besides the big names. And so, you know, that's a good transition into talking about some of these big names. What does, you know, obviously Messi, Suarez... DePaul to a degree are players that are just sort of different. Like they are not easier to game plan around necessarily. But what do successful teams that are successful against Miami?

What sort of commonalities, what through lines are there in the way that they handle sort of some of these big players? Well, first and foremost, if Messi is on the... Messi is a different... It's a different approach than any other player, even Suarez or even Jordi, right? Jordi, it's really important because connects with Messi, makes Messi, you know?

more effective right uh but it's not messy is a totally different approach i think if mess is on the field the only way to to um approach his pressure and his defending is that he he has to be always you you have to bother him you know and bother him in terms of

putting him in the worst scenario possible right because if he is capable to to attract people and and if you just overload him in terms of numbers he opens up play for all the teammates right so it's as a block as a block in defense is how you put him in in the worst scenario possible right as much as you can far away from the from your box right if you reduce space in a low block how you disallow him to kick right to to finish the action right how you disallow how you push him to the sides

But it's so difficult to put pressure on Messi, right? That's why I say it's a block defending, right? It's a block defending, reducing spaces. push him away as much as you can of your goal and pray. And then... And then... and then uh teams that are has been successful against miami is how you can keep your intensity just in terms of athleticism right so how you can make them

stretch, play, you know, like be effective in the, in the quick transition. Right. No playing so deep. Right. Because Seattle, well, Seattle field is, is a long field, right. A little bit longer, maybe. Yeah. And it's. yeah so but but the the quick transition the fast transition right how you you can uh attack miami in two or three passes and put an attacking guy 1v1 uh you know against miami defender actually last game against orlando they

They got issues with that. They got issues pushing for the game and then being exposed with big spaces to defend for defenders. That's the way to do it. That's the best. And then try to be balanced in terms of how many people you push forward. how many people you push forward, right? So that's the way Miami struggles, right? When they don't find spaces in...

in your defense, right? When you're in a good block with balanced numbers, right? And then you're going to have your best games in terms of winning duels, you know, against their attacking.

Absolutely. Well, so this should be – it looks like there's going to be about 65,000 people there tomorrow. It is going to be very close to a sellout. You have played in Lumen Field when it is packed like this before. You've visited there. You've experienced this. What does it do to the crowd?

Or what does it do to players on the field when there's that difference between it being a normal 30,000 or whatever, when it can still be pretty loud and pretty boisterous at Lumen Field? But what's the difference when there is... you know those third deck when that third deck is really full like how does it that how does that potentially impact the game well it truly impacts the first 20 15 20 and the last 10.

It depends the flow of the game, but what it really impacts in the game, it's in those moments. The first 10, 15, that can change the game. It can change the flow of the game. right because the the crowd is so energized side and it push your your your team forward right and you got to handle that you know every single action it becomes full of adrenaline right so that that that really affects uh affects your heart right so and it's difficult you know it gives energy to your team

and the rival has to handle it obviously miami has a lot of experience right they know how to slow the tempo they know how to ride so they know how to handle those moments but it really affects the first 10 15. You got to really push for a goal there. Still being smart, but it's difficult because the crowd push you up, push you up, you know, push you for goals and is very excited.

uh because all the whole you know everyone is excited in a final for the first you know the first whistle blows and then the first 10 minutes 15 minutes it's key and and then the last 10 the last 10 15 minutes it's it really affects the game right so legs are are are not the same right your brain is not the same and the crowd is is it's helping you

Uh, and obviously it's not the best for the rival if you're, you know, uh, even though, even though you're defending, uh, uh, a result of, if you are chasing the game. Absolutely. Yeah. I'm, I'm personally, I'm excited.

You know, we haven't had a crowd like this since the 2022 Champions League final. I wouldn't necessarily put this quite on the same level of that, but it does feel... big it feels like a really important game it feels like a uh like a cup final should feel like and hopefully you know it's gonna set a league's cup record and

Hopefully, this can also sort of start to reverse the trend here in Seattle where there was maybe the attention on the Sounders had started to diminish. And this feels like...

we're going to have the spotlight back on us. And so that's pretty exciting. Just any sort of thoughts from you before we get out of here? Sure. Well, you know, nothing is the same in soccer, right? You can't compare a final of CONCACAF with this or a final with MLS Cup, right? So nothing is the same, but all is different.

and all it's very important because it's it's today and you have a final in your home which is great you know um i'm jealous i've been in portland you know so you always want to have finals in your home you always want to play finals it's it's the way and it's today is to nothing it's the same right right in the past but it's today and that's the most important in soccer even guys like guardiola says that you know the only important

is is is the present is today that's soccer about you know that's how we should leave this obviously the past is important in terms of your history your legacy etc right so how you create a winning team but it's today and and let me tell you this i got i broadcasted the game against uh the western conference final last year against any galaxy and seattle could seattle could win that game you know it wasn't it was a tight game you know it was a tight game and and now they

They're in another final, right? So they play against a great team. Crowd's going to be there. And that's, you know, it's fantastic. I think you should enjoy that. Absolutely. Well, Diego, I really appreciate you doing this. Despite your playing career, we still think of you highly. It's been really great to see you succeeding as much as you have been at MLS. You are...

Everyone, I will admit, I don't get to watch a lot of the Spanish language broadcasts, but everyone that does speaks very, very highly of the work that you do there. I just want to say thank you for doing this. Congratulate you on the successful next stage of your career. And hopefully we'll see you out there tomorrow.

Thank you so much, Jeremiah. I really, really appreciate that. And, you know, yeah, looking forward to see you on Sunday. Great. Well, thanks to Diego Valeri for joining us. I'm Jeremiah Shan. This is No Sarietas, part of the Sounder at Heart Podcast Network, and we will catch you next time. Let's go sounders. Check engine, ABS or maintenance light on. Take the guesswork out of your warning lights with O'Reilly Veriscan.

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