After establishing a new Major League football record with five consecutive games that score several goals, Lionel Messi will go to TQL Stadium this Wednesday. The Argentinian star will again lead Inter Miami, this time to FC Cincinnati in week 25 of the regular season.
Against the team that is known as the orange and blue, Messi will try to keep his series of brackets alive. But there is still a turn-with just one goal, he would add the franchise-based franchise to the growing list of MLS teams that he scored against. Since the arrival in North -American football, the legendary no. 10 has yet to find the net against Cincy, giving this matchup a personal advantage.
The World Cup winner has confronted FC Cincinnati twice before. The first came in the semi-final of the US Open Cup 2023, when Inter Miami traveled to TQL Stadium for a dramatic collision that ended after 120 minutes 3-3 and was decided by penalties. Messi gave two assists for Leonardo Campana and converted the first shot in the shootout, which Miami won 5-4.
Their second meeting was in MLS game later that year, in October 2023. Inter Miami organized the Orange and Blauw in Chase Stadium but lost 1-0. Messi started that game on the couch and played the last 35 minutes.
Messi did not confront with Cincinnati in 2024
Inter Miami and FC Cincinnati have already met MLS twice this season, but the Captain Van De Reigers missed both meetings. The first absence was due to his participation in the Copa América, and the second came after being damaged against Colombia in the final against Colombia.
Miami took a heavy blow in their way in TQL Stadium and lost 6-1. However, they bounced back with a solid 2-0 win in Chase Stadium. Wednesday's game promises to be a showdown with high commitment, because both clubs are fighting to stay near the top of the classification of the Eastern Conference.