The highly anticipated matchup between Atlanta United and Inter Miami is set for Wednesday night, and with Lionel Messi returning to the fold, the Herons are looking to take a step closer to clinching the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield. However, the team will be without former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets, who is serving a yellow-card accumulation suspension.
Miami coach Tata Martino confirmed Messi will be part of the two-match road trip, which begins in Atlanta and continues at New York City FC on Saturday. This comes after Messi’s first match in two months, a 3-1 home win over Philadelphia.
While Messi is back, the team will be cautious with his minutes, particularly on Atlanta’s artificial surface. This could also lead to limited playing time for Luis Suarez and other veteran players, as Miami manager Tata Martino seeks to balance their fitness and performance.
It’s worth noting that even if Miami fields a weakened team, it wouldn’t be a new strategy. As Messi himself pointed out, they’ve done this before.
The match between Atlanta United and Inter Miami will be played at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, USA, with kick-off set for 7:30 pm local time (5:00 am IST). Fans can catch the action live on Apple TV, although the match isn’t available for live broadcast in India.
The return of Messi and the absence of Busquets adds another layer of intrigue to this already exciting encounter. Will Miami be able to overcome the challenge of Atlanta and secure the victory they need to continue their push for the Supporters’ Shield? We’ll have to wait and see.
