Preview: Inter Miami vs. Atlas - prediction, team news, lineups

Phase One of the 2025 Leagues Cup begins with Inter Miami hosting Liga MX side Atlas at Chase Stadium on Wednesday in the first of three matches in the revamped league phase.

Javier Mascherano’s men, boosted by Lionel Messi’s return, will aim to start strongly as they seek to finish among the top four clubs in the MLS section, with the ultimate goal of reaching the tournament’s quarter-finals.

Match preview

Two years after their victory in this competition, Inter Miami begin their quest for a second title in three years when they host Mexican side Atlas on Wednesday.

The Herons enter the first of three matches against Liga MX clubs over the next week, aiming for a quick start to improve their chances of finishing in the top four of their section, which guarantees progression to the last eight in the tournament’s new format.

Although they are set to face Atlas, Necaxa and Pumas UNAM, points earned by Mascherano's team will be tallied against the other 17 MLS clubs involved in the tournament.

The top four clubs will qualify — the same process will be applied among the 18 other Liga MX teams to determine which will finish in the coveted four spots.

Inter Miami enter Wednesday's game in mixed form, having won just one of their last three MLS matches — a 5-1 thrashing of the New York Red Bulls — sandwiched between a 3-0 loss to FC Cincinnati and a goalless draw over the weekend against the same team in Florida.

Nevertheless, Messi's expected return to action in the Leagues Cup should give the Herons a boost against the Mexican side.

Atlas stand in the way of the 2023 champions securing the points, as they themselves look to start their campaign with a positive result against the Herons.

In the previous format, the Red and Blacks always made it to the knockout rounds, losing to the New England Revolution in 2023 and Club America last year, and aim to at least match their previous showing by ending among the top four Mexican sides in their section.

With matches against Orlando City and Atlanta United, an encouraging result against the Messi-led outfit theoretically stands Gonzalo Pineda’s team in good stead.

However, like the Herons, Atlas' previous results have been mixed, as Los Rojinegros have won just one of their past four matches in all competitions.

Further underlining their mixed results are the absence of clean sheets, with the Mexican outfit not keeping a competitive shutout since holding Pachuca to a goalless encounter in February.

Considering their 15-match run without preventing their opponents from scoring, the travelling fans could be forgiven for expecting little ahead of Wednesday's trip to Florida.

Inter Miami form (all competitions):

Atlas form (all competitions):

Team News

After missing the MLS match against Cincinnati due to suspension for missing the All-Star Game, Messi and Jordi Alba should rejoin Mascherano’s team for Wednesday’s Leagues Cup match.

Rodrigo De Paul, a loan signing from Atletico Madrid, could play some part for the Herons, bringing extra expertise to the Florida-based club’s midfield.

Although Noah Allen returned to the squad against Cincinnati, players expected to be unavailable due to injury include Oscar Ustari (hamstring), Drake Callender (hernia), Ian Fray (adductor) and Baltasar Rodriguez (hamstring), while Allen Obando's hamstring injury will be assessed prior to matchday one.

While Atlas will evaluate Carlos Robles ahead of Wednesday, Edgar Zaldivar and Mauro Manotas are unavailable due to long-term knee injuries.

Diego Gonzalez has scored one goal and assisted twice in the Mexican side's three Apertura games so far, and the forward appears to be the away side's main attacking threat against the Herons.

Inter Miami possible starting lineup:

Novo; Weigandt, Aviles, Lujan, Alba; Busquets, Redondo; Allende, Messi, Segovia; Suarez

Atlas possible starting lineup:

Vargas; Rios, Aguirre, Doria; Ferrareis, Rocha, Hernandez, Lozano; Gonzalez, Durdevic, Aguirre

We say: Inter Miami 3-1 Atlas

Inter Miami’s goalless match with Cincinnati was an anomaly for the Herons, whose games often produce goals.

The same rings especially true for Atlas, who have not kept a clean sheet in 15 competitive matches, and the return of Messi and the Florida team’s superior firepower should overwhelm the Red and Blacks.

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