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Monterrey welcomes Inter Miami for the 2nd leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal Wednesday. Kickoff from Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Mexico is set for 10:30 p.m. ET. Below, we preview FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Monterrey vs. Inter Miami odds, and make our best expert soccer picks and predictions.
Monterrey won 2-1 in the first leg, which was played in Fort Lauderdale April 3. Inter ended with just 8 shots on 2 on frame which didn’t compare well to Monterrey’s 21 and 8. F Lionel Messi did not play with a hamstring injury. He returned to MLS action this past week and is expected to start Wednesday.
Monterrey lost 2-1 on the road to Cruz Azul Saturday, and it has lost 2 straight Liga MX matches.
Inter drew the Colorado Rapids 2-2 Saturday and has drawn 2 straight MLS matches. Inter sits 3rd in the Eastern Conference in the MLS, while Monterrey is 3rd in the Liga MX’s Clausura.
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Monterrey vs. Inter Miami CF odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 4:34 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Monterrey +100 (bet $100 to win $100) | Inter Miami +210 (bet $100 to win $210) | Draw +260
- Over/Under: 2.5 (O: -174 | U: +124)
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Monterrey vs. Inter Miami CF picks and predictions
Prediction
Inter Miami 2, Monterrey 1
Moneyline (ML)
BET INTER MIAMI (+210).
It is hard to win on the road, but with the Monterrey coach calling one of the best players to ever play the sport a “possessed drawf,” there could be some extra motivation from Messi. Inter plays far better with Messi on the pitch, and that was even seen Saturday when he subbed on. Messi has tallied 4 goals in 4 MLS games, and Miami ended its game Saturday with 10 more shots.
While Monterrey has been among the better Liga MX sides, it has struggled recently. It did add F Brandon Vazquez from FC Cincinnati, but it doesn’t have a player with 10 or more goals, so its lack of star power could create issues against a team captained by Messi and F Luis Suarez.
Messi and Inter are going to come in with a chip on their shoulder, and given how they play with Messi, INTER MIAMI (+210) is worth a play.
Over/Under (O/U)
LEAN OVER 2.5 (-174).
The pace and the chances created make this a good value, but the odds aren’t quite justifiable for a full-unit play. Monterrey notched 21 shots while Inter totaled just 8.
Miami, as noted, should get a boost from the presence of Messi, and the offense should click early and often. Inter has 10 goals in the 4 MLS games Messi has played.
Monterrey has scored 2 or more goals in 4 of its last 7 games as well.
Both offenses have proven themselves, and they should continue to. Take OVER 2.5 (-174) for a small unit.
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