Inter Miami vs Nashville: What does Messi's team need to advance in Concachampions?
Inter Miami host Nashville SC in the return leg of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 tonight. Find out here what do Lionel Messi and company need in order to make the next round.
The 2024 season may have just started but Inter Miami are already playing one of the most important games of the year tonight. With Lionel Messi back in the starting lineup, the Herons welcome Nashville SC to Chase Stadium in the second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16.
Following a 2-2 draw at Geodis Park last week, the tie is wide open ahead of the rematch in Fort Lauderdale. However, Gerardo Martino’s side holds a slight advantage for the rematch.
Since the tournament has the away goal rule, Inter Miami will progress to the Concachampions quarterfinals if they hold Nashville to a goalless draw or a 1-1 tie. Of course, any victory will also give the South Florida side a ticket to the next round.
Therefore, Messi and Luis Suarez’s goals last time out could have a lot of weight in tonight’s match. The Argentine superstar pulled one back for his team when the hosts were threatening to make it 3-0, whereas the Uruguayan striker scored a last-gasp equalizer to put Inter Miami in an even better position for the second leg.
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) makes a move in front of Nashville SC defender Lukas MacNaughton.
Nashville need at least one goal in Miami to avoid elimination
It will be interesting to see how Nashville show up at Chase Stadium tonight, since they need to score at least one away goal to keep their Concacaf Champions Cup aspirations alive.
In the event the aggregate score is tied and the away goal rule cannot make the difference, the game will go to extra time (two periods of 15 minutes each). If the draw persists after overtime, the winner will be decided on penalties.
Martin O'Donnell is a bilingual sports writer fluent in English and Spanish, with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. Since joining Bolavip in February 2021, he has extensively covered soccer, NFL, and NBA, specializing in real-time coverage of major events such as the World Cup, UEFA Champions League finals, and the Super Bowl. Martin’s prior experience includes managing social media for the CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana in English and reporting on Brazilian football for Sambafoot. At Bolavip, he is known for his meticulous coverage during critical sports seasons—covering trades, playoffs, and finals—and for keeping a close eye on soccer icons Lionel Messi at Inter Miami and Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. His attention to detail and ability to capture breaking news have made him a valuable asset to the team.
