Fernando Romero Nuñez 
Argentine star Lionel Messi has been a jolt of energy for Inter Miami. The Fort Lauderdale-based football team has seen their social media followers multiply tenfold, with LeBron James, Serena Williams and Kim Kardashian attending his debut game, but his impact is now being felt on the pitch.
The team founded by retired footballer David Beckham has struggled this season, sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference in the MLS with just five wins in 22 games played. Messi scored a last-minute winner last Friday from a free kick to beat Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup, Inter Miami’s first win since they beat Birmingham Legion in the US Open Cup.
After the World Cup winner’s dream debut, Inter Miami is looking to make it two in a row against a tough opponent Atlanta United. The Five Stripes are in good form in the league, sitting in seventh in their conference.
The match is set to be a special one for Messi, as he’ll have a familiar face on the other side: Thiago Almada. The Argentine star has been with the MLS team since February 2022, when he moved from local Argentine team Vélez Sarsfield for 15 million euros. His performances earned him a call-up from Argentina Men’s National Team manager Lionel Scaloni for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Since then, he’s been setting the MLS alight, with 8 goals and 9 assists in 22 games so far.
This will be only the second time this year Messi and Almada share a pitch since the friendly between Argentina and Panama in early March. In that match, the young starlet scored the opener, with Messi scoring another in what would be the 800th goal of his career.
There is a lot of excitement for what is set to be the second game of the Lionel Messi era at Inter Miami. Coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino made people wait for the star’s highly anticipated debut, but this time around he’s likely to feature from the start.
“Everything will depend on how [Messi and teammate Sergio Busquets] feel. It’s just their second game. It is also true that when Leo plays from the beginning, he is likely to play the full 90 minutes,” Martino told the official MLS site. This match will also be special for the former Argentina manager, who won the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs when he managed Atlanta United.
A win in this second game will mean qualification to the next stage for Inter Miami, whereas a defeat means they’ll have to wait for the clash between Atlanta United and Mexican side Cruz Azul for confirmation.
The game is set to start at 7:30 p.m. local time, 8:30 p.m. Argentina. All games can be watched with an MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
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