Inter Miami return to MLS action fresh from a Messi-inspired win in the Champions Cup quarterfinals. They’ll be hoping for more of the same at the historic Soldier Field stadium in Chicago against the Fire on Sunday night.
By James Nalton
Messi leads the way
Lionel Messi’s season so far has been sporadic due to injury, but the last two games suggest he is back to full fitness and back in his groove.
There was a moment in the previous league game against Toronto where he beat a defender in a small space near the byline before getting a shot away that was reminiscent of the Barcelona Messi.
He netted Miami’s only goal in that game and scored a wonderful goal in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday to help his team back from two goals down on aggregate against Los Angeles FC. His penalty late in the game gave Miami a 3-2 win and a place in the semifinals.
Messi already tops FotMob’s MLS average rating chart for 2025 as well as leading the way on a per 90 basis for shots and shots on target, expected assists, xG plus xA, and successful dribbles.
Chicago reignited?
Chicago Fire have been in the doldrums for years, finishing outside the playoff places for 13 of the past 15 seasons.
During that time, they were handed the Wooden Spoon twice and last season finished 28th out of 29 teams.
The four-time US Open Cup winners will be hoping for a revival in 2025 under new head coach Gregg Berhalter.
The former United States men’s national team coach has taken on a dual role as head coach and sporting director, similar to that of an old-fashioned English-style manager who oversees both coaching and recruitment.
They have made a promising start to the season, and Inter Miami will have to watch out for the threat of striker Hugo Cuypers — who has the second-highest total xG in the league so far this season behind Christian Benteke — and fellow attackers Jonathan Bamba and Philip Zinckernagel.
Potential Miami slip-ups
Though they are the favourites to claim the MLS Supporters’ Shield trophy once again, Inter Miami won’t always look entirely convincing within games.
Even on their way to a record-breaking points haul in 2024, they lost four games and drew eight, and their expected goal difference last season placed them in the lower regions of mid-table.
There is always a sense that their defence can give up goals, and their wins are often decided by moments rather than sustained good play.
Anyone regularly predicting Inter Miami games (see below) might have expected the dropped points to come in recent games against Philadelphia, Atlanta, or Charlotte, but the fact that such a game and result played out against struggling Toronto FC shows the unpredictable nature of MLS.
Toronto could even have won that game, and Chicago Fire will take some heart from this going into this weekend.
Prediction
All of that said, you still have to go with an Inter Miami win in Chicago, though maybe more narrow than might normally have been predicted, given the Fire, like Miami, have scored at least one goal in each of their MLS games so far this season.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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