Last weekend, Lionel Messi played for the full 90 minutes for the first time in six MLS rounds. He scored a goal, made one assist, and helped his team beat Sporting KC on the road.
This coming weekend, the Herons are playing on their turf β Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida β and Messi is expected to shine again. This, however, doesnβt mean Inter Miami will have an easy game on April 20. On the contrary, Messi & Co. are playing against tricky Nashville SC.
Inter Miami vs. Nashville Odds
MoneylineOddsInter Miami-225Draw+375Nashville+475*Odds taken from BetOnline on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.
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When, Where, and How to Watch?
Place: Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (Miami), Florida
Date: Saturday, April 20, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM ET
How to Watch: Apple TV
Lionel Messi Ready to Lead Inter Miami to Another Win
In addition to Lionel Messi, Inter Miami has many other elite players on the roster. However, in the 2024 MLS, this teamβs been a one-man army. The evidence of this is that the Herons played horrible soccer when Messi wasnβt around.
He missed four MLS games this season and the Herons went 1-1-2 without him on the field. When he made his comeback, they played 1-1 against the Colorado Rapids in a game in which he spent just 45 minutes on the pitch.
He played for the full 90 minutes in the CONCACAF Champions League against Monterrey, but Inter Miami lost 3-1. The first time since March 1 that he played an entire MLS game was last weekend. The game in question was against Sporting Kansas City, in which Messi was, by far, the best player on the field.
Can Nashville Outsmart Messi & Co. Somehow?
Nashville is without a win in the last three games. Further, the last time this team won a game on the road was in February in the CONCACAF Champions League. These guys are still without a win on the road in the 2024 MLS.
For all these facts, itβs no surprise Nashville is expected to lose to Inter Miami on April 20. However, this doesnβt mean Nashville doesnβt have some really good players on the roster. On the contrary!
One of the best midfielders in the MLS is playing for this team β Daniel Gazdag. Nashville also has a couple of decent forwards, most notably, Teal Bunbury.
With such players, Nashville definitely has the power to give Inter Miami a run for their money. But can they win some points from their trip to Florida? Weβre not so sure.
Inter Miami vs. Nashville Prediction
We think that the 3-2 win over Sporting KC last weekend was the beginning of Inter Miamiβs superb run in the 2024 MLS that will see this team win a number of games in a row.
We expect the Herons to beat Nashville on Saturday, probably with a couple of goals scored by Messi and his buddies. Nashville might fight back and score a goal as well, but that probably wonβt be enough.