Spanish forward Mista signed with Toronto FC in early July. (Chris Young/Canadian Press)All is well between Toronto FC's star Spanish striker Mista and the man calling the shots from the sidelines.
That was the message from TFC coach Preki ahead of the team's Saturday evening home game against Real Salt Lake.
Questions about the relationship between the Spaniard and coach were raised following last week's 4-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls when Mista did not return to the bench after being substituted at the start of the second half. In the post-match press conference, Preki said he made the change for tactical reasons because he felt Mista failed to make an impact in the opening 45 minutes.
The Toronto Sun reported Mista was in a fit after being substituted by Preki, resulting in a major rift between the player and coach.
The team departed for Panama the next day to play a CONCACAF Champions League match later in the week, so Friday's team practice was the first opportunity that reporters had to question Toronto's coach about the alleged bust-up with Mista.
Not that Preki felt there was anything to talk about.
"There's nothing to comment on. It's just garbage coming from the press," Preki scoffed.
So there's no truth to the report that he is at odds with Mista?
"Of course not," Preki reaffirmed.
After the New York game, Preki told reporters that Mista was dealing with "health issues" and might not make the trip to Panama. The Spaniard did end up flying to Central America with the rest of his teammates but sat on the bench as an unused substitute in Toronto's 1-0 loss to Arabe Unido on Tuesday.
The Toronto Sun report stated that the health issue explanation was a fabrication, an excuse to gloss over what it alleged were tensions between player and coach.
But Preki maintained Friday he didn't play Mista in Panama because he was hurt and banged up.
The TFC coach did say that Mista will play some part in Saturday's match against Real Salt Lake, but didn't indicate if the Spanish striker will start or be on the bench.
"He is ready to go and he is in good spirits. He looks good in training … He'll see some action [Saturday], it's just when. For sure." Preki said.
Through no fault of the club, CBCSports.ca was unable to interview Mista following Friday's practice to get his comments.
Gareth Wheeler, the author of the Toronto Sun article, stands by his story.
"I did my job in checking into a situation which I believed to be suspicious and I received confirmation from my sources that there was an issue between the player and the coach," Wheeler told CBCSports.ca.
Mista, 31, joined Toronto FC in early July after spending his entire career in his native Spain.
Touch of class
Mista enjoyed his best years with Valencia from 2001 to 2006, when he won two Spanish league titles and scored 40 goals in 142 games. He scored an impressive 19 goals in the 2003-04 season, helping Valencia win UEFA Cup that season.
He then moved on to Atletico Madrid and spent the past two injury-plagued campaigns with Deportivo la Coruna, where he was limited to two goals in 26 games.
Mista made his Toronto FC debut in an international friendly against English side Bolton Wanderers on July 21. He played his first MLS game against FC Dallas three days later and scored his first goal for Toronto in a 2-1 over Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions League on Aug. 17.
With a wealth of experience playing in the Spanish first division, Mista brings a touch of class to Toronto. Many pundits believe he should be a fixture in the starting line-up if the Reds are to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
TFC currently sits in ninth place in the MLS standings, one spot and two points out of a playoff berth with 10 games remaining in the season.
