Preview: Inter Miami vs Atletico San Luis - prediction, team news, lineups

For the first time, Nu Stadium will host a Leagues Cup match as Inter Miami welcome Atletico San Luis to South Beach on Wednesday in the opening game for both sides of the competition this year.

The Herons were beaten in the final of this tournament last year, 3-0 by the Seattle Sounders, while San Luis were narrowly eliminated from the group stage on the Liga MX draw, coming up one point short of the top four.

Match preview

After missing their chance at history in the 2025 Leagues Cup final, Inter Miami begin their quest for redemption as they seek to become the first two-time winners of this tournament.

Under manager Angel Guillermo Hoyos, this group are riding a seven-match unbeaten run across all competitions, winning in six of those instances.

In their entire Leagues Cup history, this club have never lost a home encounter in this competition, while they are unbeaten in three of their last four competitive games at Nu Stadium.

At the same time, they have never lost a Leagues Cup group fixture when netting the opening goal and have not been held goalless in that phase of the competition.

Before their 2-0 win at Nu Stadium versus the Portland Timbers in May, Miami had dropped points in five successive outings at that venue across all competitions.

The 2023 winners of this tournament have gone on to win six of their seven Leagues Cup meetings all-time versus Mexican opposition, with their only defeat coming in Houston back in 2024 against Tigres.

Starting slow can be a massive detriment in the Leagues Cup, and that is something San Luis have experienced all too often.

The Mexican side have lost their last three Leagues Cup openers by a combined margin of 12-3, falling 4-0 to the Portland Timbers on matchday one a year ago.

Diego Mejia’s side are unbeaten in their last two competitive fixtures but have not won a match since blanking Santos Laguna 2-0 on matchday 16 of the last Liga MX Clausura campaign earlier this year.

They will aim to earn points in three straight Leagues Cup affairs on Wednesday after defeating Minnesota United 2-0 in their final group outings of 2025.

Atleti de San Luis have a 100% record in this tournament when netting first, doing so only once, against Minnesota last year.

They have scored just one opening half goal in their first Leagues Cup outings and were hammered 5-1 by the New England Revolution on that occasion.

Inter Miami form (all competitions):

Atletico San Luis form (all competitions):

Team News

A hamstring strain may keep Sergio Reguilon out of the Miami fold on Wednesday, Gonzalo Lujan and Maximiliano Falcon are doubtful due to leg injuries, while Luis Suarez is serving the first of a six-match Leagues Cup ban following a spitting incident in the 2025 final.

Lionel Messi, who guided them to the Leagues Cup title in 2023, returned to the Miami fold on Saturday as he and his Argentine teammate Rodrigo De Paul featured for the first time since their World Cup final defeat versus Spain, in a 2-2 draw against the Columbus Crew.

Because of ligament injuries, San Luis are unlikely to have Juanpe, Joao Pedro or Benjamin Galdames available on Wednesday.

Sebastian Perez Bouquet and Pedro netted in their 2-0 victory over Minnesota United in their last Leagues Cup affair last year, while Andres Sanchez made three stops for the clean sheet.

Inter Miami possible starting lineup:

St. Clair; Fray, Caicedo, Micael, Allen; Bright, Ruiz, Segovia; Silvetti, Berterame, Messi

Atletico San Luis possible starting lineup:

Sanchez; Torres, Robson, Garcia, Cruz, Esteves; Najera, Macias, Salles-Lamonge, Llorente; Munoz

We say: Inter Miami 3-0 Atletico San Luis

Even without the red-hot Suarez, who has a goal in four straight games, Miami have more than enough resources to trouble a defensive side like San Luis, that have a reputation for starting competitions slowly.

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