Aiming to end their three-game losing streak in all competitions, beaten CONCACAF Champions Cup semi-finalists Inter Miami welcome New York Red Bulls to Chase Stadium for Saturday night's round 11 MLS contest.
Javier Mascherano's men were humiliated 5-1 on aggregate by the Vancouver Whitecaps in the continental competition, and the Herons hope to avoid a fourth defeat in a row against an opponent seeking back-to-back victories for the first time in the competition this term.
Match preview
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Not even Lionel Messi could inspire a second-leg Champions Cup turnaround for Miami against the Vancouver Whitecaps as Mascherano's team fell 3-1 on home turf, losing 5-1 overall in the tie.
The midweek defeat came despite Jordi Alba halving the aggregate deficit in the ninth minute; however, the Herons conceded three second-half goals, thwarting their prospects for a maiden continental success.
As a result of Wednesday's defeat, Mascherano's side have lost three consecutive fixtures, with both Champions Cup losses flanking an MLS defeat to FC Dallas last weekend.
Aiming to avoid consecutive regular season league defeats since October 2023, when they lost to the Chicago Fire (4-1) and FC Cincinnati (1-0), Messi and co. look to shake off their midweek disappointment against their New York visitors.
While they have played one game fewer than the other teams in the coveted top eight spots, Miami are just four points and four places behind Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference table, highlighting their proximity to the top of that section.
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Saturday's opponents enter this weekend's contest in eighth place, with 15 points, just one behind Orlando City in seventh after 10 matches.
Although their current standing guarantees a spot in the wild card round, the Red Bulls, last year's playoff runners-up, undeniably aim higher than their present position.
Nonetheless, Sandro Schwarz's team have struggled for consistency in the opening rounds this term, as emphasised by the team's inability to win consecutive MLS games in 2025.
Interestingly, all four of New York's wins have come at home — against Nashville (2-0), Toronto FC (2-1), Nashville (2-1) and Montreal (1-0) — with those victories followed by a draw at Atlanta United (0-0), a defeat against New England Revolution (2-1) and another draw at Orlando (0-0).
Having not won a regular-season away game since defeating Toronto 4-1 in October 2024, the Red Bulls, poised to rise into the top seven this weekend, strive to end their unwanted five-match winless streak on their travels at Miami's expense.
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Team News
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Having emerged from their Champions Cup elimination unscathed, Miami's only absentees are David Ruiz and Baltasar Rodriguez, both of whom have hamstring issues.
While Messi has neither scored nor assisted in four matches across all competitions — two in MLS — the Herons' captain is the home side's joint-top scorer with three goals, tied with Telasco Segovia, heading into Saturday's encounter.
However, Luis Suarez's five assists bring him to six goal contributions in 2025, one more than Messi's five, underscoring the Uruguayan's threat even when he is not scoring.
Unlike Mascherano's team, the Red Bulls have several absentees due to injury, with Daniel Edelman and Dylan Nealis sidelined by hamstring issues, Roald Mitchell and Lewis Morgan out with knee injuries and Marcelo Morales absent because of a thigh problem.
After failing to score in his first three MLS appearances this year, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has netted four times in his last seven matches, making the Cameroonian the away side's leading threat this weekend.
Inter Miami possible starting lineup:
Ustari; Weigandt, Falcon, Allen, Alba; Aviles, Busquets; Allende, Messi, Segovia; Suarez
New York Red Bulls possible starting lineup:
Coronel; Duncan, Nealis, Elie, Valencia; Carballo, Stroud; Harper, Forsberg, Carmona; Choupo-Moting
We say: Inter Miami 2-1 New York Red Bulls
The previous 10 encounters between Inter Miami and the Red Bulls have featured a winner, and Saturday should be no different.
While the New York team will strive to inflict further misery on Mascherano's squad after Wednesday's Champions Cup exit, the Herons are expected to return to winning form and avoid a fourth consecutive loss.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
