Houston Dynamo coach Ben Olsen would not be attracted whether Lionel Messi is the biggest football player of all time for his Intermiami side this weekend.
The Dynamo started their 2025 ml campaign with a 2-1 defeat against FC Dallas last week, and they are confronted with the non-envious task of taking on the supporters' Shield Holders on competition day two.
Messi is often compared to colleague icon Cristiano Ronaldo for the title of the 'goat', but Olsen was reluctant to give his opinion on Friday.
“Oh, I don't care, I carrot for one team and that is the Houston Dynamo. He is a remarkable player,” said Olsen about Messi.
“It was incredible to see what he did during his career and what he did with this competition.”
“We have to try to come after their weaknesses and deal with some of their strengths,” Olsen went on. “They have many strengths, but also areas that we think we can exploit.
“It is a long task, but it is a task that the boys are ready for and it is certainly our task as a staff at the moment to give them so much information to ensure that they are prepared.
“They are perhaps the best team in the competition, certainly they were last year.”
Eyes on Houston pic.twitter.com/t7angmpcfl
– Inter Miami CF (@intermiamicf) 28 February 2025
Reports had suggested that Miami coach Javier Mascherano could rest on Sunday Messi, after the Herons Sporting Kansas City defeated 3-1 in the Concacaf Champions Cup on Wednesday.
But the former defender of Barcelona says that no decision has been made and says reporters: “Leo is fine, he will normally train like all his teammates.
“We played in a knockout round. We started the season in Kansas, where the Champions League is an important competition for us.
“We also had the start of the MLS between the two matches of the draw. It is one of the matches where we want to compete and reach the highest possible level.
“If we talk about being able to rotate the players, we have to see the context. The context is that we had to play three games in six days.”
Players to watch
Houston Dynamo – Amine Bassi
Bassi scored Houston's goal against Dallas last week, after he had recorded three goals and six assists in the regular season game last year.
No player in Houston could match that last count, or his figure of 7.47 expected assists (XA).
Inter Miami – Lionel Messi
Messi assisted Miami's equalizer after 99 minutes and 24 seconds when they went with New York City FC last weekend.
It was the second deepest Messi in the second in stopping time was involved in a goal in his club career, after scoring a competition -winning penalty on 102: 52 against Espanyol in Laliga in September 2008.
Messi registered 11 assists in 22 games in the regular season last year and created 47 opportunities for his teammates.
Match forecast – Draw
Houston's 2-1 loss for Dallas in last week's season opener was only their second defeat in their last 13 regular seasonal matches (five wins, six draws).
Since then in July and August 2022, the Dynamo has not lost a consecutive home competition.
Working for the weekend pic.twitter.com/Hec6Z3B7KKK
– Houston Dynamo FC (@hourstondnamo) 28 February 2025
Miami immediately made it in the 10th minute of the second half of the stopping time in their 2-2 draw with New York City last week.
Last season they recovered 31 points from losing positions, five more than any other team in a single MLS campaign in the past 20 years.
Houston won three consecutive games against Miami after losing the very first meeting of the teams in October 2020, including a 2-1 win in the US Open Cup final of 2023 in the last match between the teams. They have to set up a fight against the supporters' shield holders.
Opta wins probability
Houston Dynamo – 37%
Inter Miami – 36.7%
Drawing – 26.3%
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