Inter Miami host the Vancouver Whitecaps tonight (April 30) at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale for the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals. Trailing 2–0 on aggregate, all eyes will be on the home side’s stars, especially captain Lionel Messi.
Messi, who missed several games earlier this season due to a muscle injury, was rested for Miami’s recent 4–3 MLS loss to FC Dallas, along with Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba. However, the Argentine star is part of the confirmed lineup for tonight’s high-stakes matchup, with Miami needing at least three goals to reach the final.
Messi played the full 90 minutes in the first leg and has been instrumental in the tournament, scoring twice in the quarterfinal second leg against LAFC to help send Inter Miami through.
He has five goals overall in this year’s competition and will be central to Miami’s efforts to mount a comeback against Vancouver, who scored through Brian White and Sebastian Berhalter in the first match.
In the first leg, Messi was on the receiving end of several physical challenges and expressed visible frustration, including verbal exchanges with Vancouver’s Andrés Cubas and members of the Southsiders supporters’ group.
Confirmed Inter Miami’s lineup vs Vancouver Whitecaps
Inter Miami confirmed the starting lineup for the semifinals match against Vancouver: Oscar Ustari; Marcelo Weigandt, Maximiliano Falcon, Noah Allen, Jordi Alba; Federico Redondo, Sergio Busquets, Tadeo Allende; Telasco Segovia, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
Mascherano: ‘Nothing is impossible’
Ahead of the second leg, Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Mascherano expressed belief in the team’s ability to overturn the deficit. He referenced Barcelona’s legendary comeback against PSG in the 2017 UEFA Champions League, which he, Messi, Suarez, and Sergio Busquets experienced firsthand, with Alba on the bench.
“That night I learned that nothing is impossible… In football, anything can happen, absolutely everything,” Mascherano said. “I can transmit that as a coach, but I had four teammates who lived it and can share that memory better than anyone.”
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With the urgency of a semifinal and Messi likely to return to the starting lineup, Inter Miami will look to draw on that spirit, and experience, as they chase a spot in the final.