Lionel Messi has a shot at another trophy for his cabinet tonight, but man, what a wild lead-up for Inter Miami. They’re squaring off against Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup, a battle to crown the best team between Major League Soccer and Liga MX that’s been running since 2018. The stakes are huge, especially with Miami hitting three consecutive draws lately, which is just bonkers for a team sitting high in the Eastern Conference.
The Cup Clash and Messi’s Emotional Week
This isn’t just any game, it’s the Campeones Cup final, happening at Nu Stadium in Miami. Messi’s going head-to-head with Cruz Azul’s own Argentine star, José Paradela, which is gonna be sick. Plus, this is manager Cristian Gonzalez’s first match at the helm, so talk about a baptism by fire! The Herons are favorites at -125, but man, those draws have gotta be on their minds. It’s been an emotional week for Messi too, with an invite to his Argentina testimonial after retiring internationally. You gotta think he’s gonna channel all that fire into letting his goals do the talking on the field.
MLS vs. Liga MX and Miami’s Title Defense
An MLS side hasn’t snagged this trophy since New York City FC beat Atlas in 2022, so there’s some real pride on the line for the league. We’ve seen MLS and Mexican teams getting more familiar through the Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup, and that gap between them? It’s closing. But if Miami doesn’t win this, everyone’s gonna be asking that old question again: what does MLS *really* need to do to catch Liga MX? Miami’s already upper echelon in the East and won’t miss the playoffs, but they want to defend their MLS Cup title. And with three draws, their current form just won’t cut it. Even Cruz Azul hasn’t been performing how they’d like in Liga MX, setting the stage for a seriously competitive match tonight.
For the winner, this is a massive chance to kick their season into high gear. For the loser, the pressure is gonna mount big time. You can catch all the action Wednesday, September 16, at 8 p.m. ET on Apple TV. Will Messi add another trophy and get Miami back on track, or will the questions about MLS and Miami’s form linger? We’ll find out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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