Javier Mascherano confirmed Lionel Messi had come out of Inter Miami’s Concacaf Champions Cup match unscathed and will face Atlanta United in MLS.
The Argentine had not performed in three consecutive video games in all competitions however scored on his return in Jamaica to assist Miami beat Cavalier on Thursday and progress to the quarter-finals.
The Herons are unbeaten in MLS this season regardless of having a participant despatched off in every of their three video games thus far, successful their final two in opposition to Houston Dynamo and Charlotte FC with out Messi within the group.
They sit second within the Japanese Convention within the early standings, and Mascherano had a optimistic replace on their star man.
“We knew Leo wasn’t taking part in for the final three or 4 video games, clearly, we wished him to play however needed to discover the best second to ship him to the pitch,” Mascherano stated.
“He felt superb [against Cavalier], he scored, Jamaican folks may see him, so it was a fantastic night time for everybody.”
Seguimos pic.twitter.com/HHM9Ak5HoZ
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) March 14, 2025
Atlanta, in the meantime, are winless in two matches; having received their opener in opposition to CF Montreal, they’ve since misplaced one and drawn one with out scoring.
They’re one in all six groups on 4 factors within the Japanese Convention, although sit backside of that group with a destructive objective distinction.
They are going to take confidence from latest conferences with Miami although, having received their final two matches in opposition to them final season, however head coach Ronny Deila doesn’t assume the opponent means this recreation is extra necessary than others.
“It doesn’t imply extra,” Deila stated. “It’s three factors and we wish to win each recreation that we’re in.
“In fact, it’s an thrilling recreation with historical past that makes it even higher.
“I see lots of enchancment from the place I began and lots of gamers with skill. We’ve had some good moments and hard moments, however that’s what we anticipated.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Atlanta United – Emmanuel Latte Lath
Atlanta haven’t scored of their final 185 minutes of MLS play, final hitting the again of the online of their season opener in opposition to CF Montreal.
Emmanuel Latte Lath had three probabilities to interrupt the impasse final weekend in opposition to the New York Crimson Bulls, price 0.69 anticipated targets (xG), with two of these classed as ‘massive’ probabilities, however he couldn’t discover the breakthrough.
Inter Miami – Lionel Messi
Messi has not recorded a objective contribution in 5 of his final six MLS away matches (together with playoffs), together with two at Atlanta United in that point.
Messi, who made a scoring return on Thursday, had been concerned in not less than one objective in 19 of his earlier 21 away league matches courting again to the beginning of the 2022-23 season with Paris Saint-Germain.
There’s nothing like this showdown
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) March 15, 2025
MATCH PREDICTION: INTER MIAMI WIN
Inter Miami have misplaced solely 4 of their final 34 MLS matches courting again to late March 2024 (W22 D8, incl. playoffs). Nevertheless, three of these 4 defeats have come in opposition to Atlanta United.
Atlanta received their closing two matches in opposition to Miami in final season’s playoffs. The one two groups Messi has misplaced in opposition to in three straight appearances are Bayern Munich (4 straight from 2015 to 2023) and Actual Madrid (three straight from 2020 to 2021).
Nevertheless, the 5 Stripes have misplaced 5 of six house matches, together with the ultimate three straight, in all competitions from late April to early June 2024. Since then, they’ve misplaced solely three of 14 house matches in all competitions (W5 D6), together with successful three of the final 4.
Atlanta did maintain out in opposition to the Crimson Bulls final weekend, stopping them from having a single shot on course of their 0-0 draw. It was the ninth time they’ve completed so in a regular-season match, with solely Columbus Crew (11) and Seattle Sounders (10) doing so extra typically since Atlanta joined MLS in 2017.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Atlanta United – 28.6%
Draw – 24.4%
Inter Miami – 46.9%
