Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium will host a clash atop MLS’ Eastern Conference between Inter Miami and the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night. While the Herons were expected to be among the league’s elite, it has been an early surprise that Bradley Carnell’s Union have joined them.
Like much of the season so far, Miami will wonder if Lionel Messi will be available for the match after suffering a hamstring strain while facing Atlanta United. Messi missed international duty for Argentina, wins at Uruguay and home to Brazil, due to that injury but the time off could be enough for him to face the Union.
Miami have been cautious with Messi this season as the Argentine has only featured in five of Miami’s eight games in all competitions. He has still been effective, registering a goal or an assist in every game that he has been available for but due to the form of players like Telasco Segovia and Tadeo Allende, Javier Mascherno has had flexibility.
Miami have yet to lose a match during the young season, but if there’s a team that can push them here, it’s the Union who are atop the table and level with the Vancouver Whitecaps for the most points in MLS so far.
Here are storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch Inter Miami vs. Philadelphia Union, odds
- Date: Saturday, March 29 | Time: 7:30 p.m.
- Location: Chase Stadium — Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Live stream: MLS Season Pass
- Odds: Inter Miami -155; Draw +340; Philadelphia Union +340
Last meeting
Miami have dominated the Union so far with the Herons winning four of the last five meetings between the duo, with the Union only winning one of them. Their last meeting was in September of 2024, with the Herons jumping out to a 2-1 lead at the half behind a brace from Messi before Luis Suarez scored an insurance goal. These teams have changed drastically since then, with both even having new coaches, but if history is to be the judge, this could be a high-scoring affair.
What the coaches are saying
Speaking ahead of the match, Mascherano expects Messi to return in some capacity to face the Union which would be quite a boon to the attack. Due to the international break, he hasn’t missed a match for the Herons with his latest injury but if there’s a time that they need him, it’s to face the Union.
“Leo is good, God willing and if nothing weird happens, he will be named to the matchday roster,” Mascherano said. “Well, we’ve been taking it progressively. Leo is a very special player in that sense, a player who, well, obviously, sometimes needs to be restrained so he doesn’t take risks, but he also knows his body very well, and the reality is that he’s been training progressively more and more.” Mascherano said.
It’s important to note that Mascherano isn’t stating that Messi will start the match but this is still a welcome sight for the team who won’t want to spend more time without their talisman than they need to.
What’s at stake
It may be early, but the top of the Eastern Conference is up for grabs. For Miami, they’d like to break their own record for the most points in an MLS regular season of 74 but to do that, they’ll have to get past the Union. For the Union, after missing the playoffs last season, they’re already on the right track to be one of the teams to make it this season, but this is a chance for Carnell’s team to actually be treated as contenders. While they’ve played playoff teams from last season, it’s not the same as knocking off a Miami side that everyone expects to win the league and push for the MLS Cup.
Predicted lineups
Inter Miami: Oscar Ustari, Jordi Alba, Noah Allen, Maximiliano Falcon, Gonzalo Lujan, Telasco Segovia, Benjamin Cremaschi, Sergio Busquets, Yannick Bright, Tadeo Allende, Luis Suarez
Philadelphia Union: Andre Blake, Kai Wagner, Olwethu Makhanya, Jakob Glesnes, Nathan Harriel, Jovan Lukic, Danley Jean Jacques, Quinn Sullivan, Daniel Gazdag, Tai Baribo, Mikael Uhre
Player to watch
Tadeo Allende, Inter Miami: Hitting the ground running since joining the Herons from Celta Vigo, when Messi doesn’t play, Allende is one of the first players looked to to make things happen in attack. While he hasn’t had issues scoring with four goals in all competitions, the Union’s defense has been right up there with Miami’s as one of the best in the league. Being able to score on the Union when more teams are getting tape on what he can do will be quite a statement for someone who could go down as one of the best additions to a team during this offseason.
Storyline to watch
Will Lionel Messi play? Signs may be pointing to the Argentine being in the squad but depending on how the clash goes, there’s certainly a chance that he doesn’t feature. When Miami travelled to Houston, Messi didn’t play due to the Herons going ahead early and the goal would likely be to do the same on Saturday. However, the Union aren’t the Dynamo and will give Miami everything that they can handle, likely leading to an appearance from Miami’s number 10. If Messi does play, his run of appearances while registering a goal contribution will be on the line.
Prediction
This is quite a tough match to gauge a prediction for, considering where both teams are. The Union have been scoring for fun while their press tortures teams in the build-up. Miami are just as comfortable going long with the ball as they are passing a team into submission, which should make for a great game of soccer. Everything from a 0-0 draw to a 3-2 barn burner could happen, but I think the points will be shared at Chase Stadium. Pick: Inter Miami 2, Philadelphia Union 2
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