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Apr

2025

Preview: Back to league action for Inter Miami

Inter Miami return to MLS action this weekend against FC Dallas. It’s a home game sandwiched between two big continental matches for Lionel Messi and co., and getting the balance right between rotation and momentum will be key.

By James Nalton

Messi remains MLS’s best

Inter Miami have not set the league alight this season, and Messi has not stood out as obviously as he did at times last year.

Despite this, Messi remains the biggest attraction in the league, is undoubtedly still MLS’s best player, and Inter Miami are still the best team in the Eastern Conference on points per game.

Being the best player in the league and being the best performer in the league are not always the same thing, and Messi will probably need to do more than he has been doing if he’s to retain his status as the league’s MVP for a second year running.

*Top average FotMob ratings in MLS this season*

At this stage of the regular season, he’s happy to operate in cruise control, and he’ll be hoping that’s enough to help his Miami team maintain their record as the only unbeaten team in MLS this year.

That’s been as much thanks to their defensive record as it has been down to Messi, as head coach Javier Mascherano has arranged a team that boasts the joint-fewest goals conceded this season.

Canadian continental hangover

Inter Miami come into this game on the back of a high-profile defeat in the Concacaf Champions Cup on Thursday.

Messi’s team have reached the semifinals of the region’s version of the Champions League/Copa Libertadores, but were defeated 2-0 in the first leg by an increasingly impressive Vancouver Whitecaps team on Canada’s west coast.

A crowd of 53,837 turned up in Vancouver to watch the Whitecaps (an MLS-era record for the club) and no doubt had an eye on watching Messi, too.

They were treated to another top performance from the home team, typical of their season so far.

For Miami, as one of the favourites to win the tournament, it was a blow, and they’ll be looking to turn things around in the second leg, though it won’t be easy.

Preparation for that begins with this game against FC Dallas.

Dallas Stars

The Texas team swooped for one of the best players in the league, and indeed in MLS history, when they signed Luciano Acosta from FC Cincinnati during the off-season.

The Argentinian feels like an MLS veteran at this stage, having also played for DC United, but is still only 30 years old.

It promises to be a battle of the Argentine No. 10s should he and Messi take to the field.

Inter Miami will be relieved if they don’t have to contend with Croatian striker Petar Musa, who was Dallas’ top scorer last season with 16 and already had three goals and three assists in eight games in 2025 before picking up an ankle injury.

Prediction

FC Dallas have players capable of troubling the Miami defence, and will be looking to catch their opponents off guard as they prepare for a big game in the Champions Cup. It could well be another draw for Miami as they nevertheless retain their unbeaten record.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every match from MLS live this season with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Apr

2025

Preview: Inter Miami head to the Windy City

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)

You can follow every match from MLS live this season with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.