He Leo Messi’s Inter Miami begins the MLS playoffs this morning (2:30 a.m.). It will be a first round with a somewhat strange format and against Atlanta United, a good team that also awaits the Interistas in the second leg the following Sunday in a stadium, the Mercedes-Benz, with artificial grass, something that does not please the Argentine star very much (the inaugural match of the Copa América 2024 was played there, but with natural grass imposed).
Be that as it may, tonight’s clash will already be uA historic milestone for the club, as it will be its first home game in the playoffs for the MLS title. I had never done it before (yes away from home) since the creation of the club in 2018 (it is a very young entity).
Leo Messi’s path to his 47th title will be hard and strange, as is the MLS system. This first round against Atlanta – a team that ‘El Tata’ Martino, now at Inter, made champion in 2018 – is played in the best of three games (Miami-Atlanta-Miami). If there is a tie at the end of each of them, after 90 minutes, a penalty shootout is launched to see who is the winner of that match. It is a difficult format because it is played at home (Miami), away (Atlanta, on artificial grass) and at home (Miami). If you lose two (even on penalties), you are out, having tied both in the 90 minutes.
With these goals, the Argentine became the club’s all-time top scorer.
Yes andl Inter advances in this first round against Atlanta, it knows that it is not going to move from its stadium, because the following rounds (Conference semi-finals, Conference final and absolute final) will be a single match (of course, with extra time and a penalty shoot-out if there is a tie) and at the Chase Stadium in Miami.
Let us remember that Inter has already won the so-called Supporters’ Shield, an official title since 1999 that distinguishes the best team in the regular MLS League, and they did so by breaking the points record, with 74 in 34 games, in the history of the American League. For this reason, he received the invitation from FIFA to play in the 2025 Club World Cup. A perfect path… before addressing the real title, which is the Major League Soccer Cup, that is, the real League title.
That’s how it is the path towards what would be the 47th title in history of Leo, who also aspires to be the MVP of the tournament. For now, He is backed by 20 goals and 10 assistsalthough the MLS (for everyone) also includes pre-assist in this concept (the pass prior to the actual assistance).
