Inter Miami CF’s first three games with Lionel Messi have been nothing short of magical. Now the question is whether they can replicate that magic away from home.
The answer will come Sunday night, when the new-look Herons get their first road test against FC Dallas with a Leagues Cup quarterfinal spot up for grabs (9:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
Based on their home performances in the tournament, Miami will be a handful at Toyota Stadium.
For starters, Messi has erupted for 5g/1a, linking up seamlessly with fellow summer blockbuster signings/FC Barcelona legends Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, while raising the level of his new teammates. Robert Taylor perfectly exemplifies the latter point, with the Finnish international posting three goals and three assists since joining forces with the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and 2022 FIFA World Cup champion.
“Obviously the team’s in a good spot right now,” right back DeAndre Yedlin said Friday in a pre-match press conference. “But at the end of the day, we’re in this tournament to win it and we’re not gonna be satisfied unless we do so.”
Dallas may have something to say about that. After losing a penalty shootout to Charlotte FC in their group stage opener, the Texan club have dispatched two straight Liga MX opponents (Necaxa and Mazatlán) en route to the Round of 16.
In addition, FCD head coach Nico Estévez has three full 90s worth of Miami game footage to analyze – specifically Wednesday’s Round of 32 contest against Orlando City SC, in which the Lions employed effective defensive tactics to limit Busquets’ influence in the middle of the pitch.
“If I was the opposing team I would try to do that also,” Yedlin commented on the possibility of Dallas targeting the 35-year-old Spaniard. “You know, he’s a mastermind in the middle.”
That said, the USMNT veteran was quick to point out that the Herons now boast an embarrassment of riches in attack.
“We have a lot of good players on the team," said Yedlin. "So even if we can’t get it through him in the middle we’ll find it through somebody. That’s the strength of this team.”
Should sporting tactics not suffice, opponents can also try to gain an edge through good, old-fashioned roughhousing and psychological gamesmanship. Orlando were also effective in that sense, pushing Messi’s buttons throughout the night. The Argentine superstar reacted in kind, getting noticeably physical with Uruguayan midfielder César Araújo while also chirping at Brazilian Felipe Martins.
“It’s true the last game was different than the previous ones. There was more friction,” Miami head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino conceded, all too aware of the effect Messi has on rival clubs.
“There’s a respect for the best player in the world, but then, when it comes to playing 90 minutes, both teams want to win,” added Martino.
Yedlin echoed his manager’s sentiments, acknowledging the Herons have suddenly become the club everybody wants to face – and beat.
“I think every team is going to try to bring their A-game against us,” Yedlin said. “… If I was on the opposing team, it would be the same motivation for me.”
