Tag: Jordi Alba

How to watch Lionel Messi and Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC

Is there more Messi magic to come in another MLS outing?

In his first-ever Major League Soccer action, Lionel Messi scored and Inter Miami won.

Try not to act too shocked.

Messi brought excellent form to begin his North American career in cup competition, leading Inter Miami to a Leagues Cup title and then to an Open Cup semifinal victory over FC Cincinnati.

Saturday’s matchup with the New York Red Bulls was the first MLS match for Inter Miami since the arrivals of Messi and his former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

Amid a crowded set of fixtures, Messi and Busquets were rested in New York while Alba started the game.

However, Messi and Busquets entered the contest (along with United States international DeAndre Yedlin) with 30 minutes remaining — and yes, as noted, Messi still scored as a substitute.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Messi and Inter Miami on Apple TV” link=”https://apple.co/3sxjdAd”]

The 2-0 win over the Red Bulls pulled Inter off the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

Still unbeaten since the arrival of Messi, next up is a team with revenge on their mind.

Miami hosts Nashville SC, the same side Inter defeated in the Leagues Cup final. It took a long shootout, which indicates a close fight could be on the docket for MLS fans.

With 21 points (14th place), Inter still sits 11 points back from a playoff spot. Meanwhile, Nashville will want to add to their 38 points which sees them positioned seventh in the table.

Here is everything you need to know to catch all the action:

Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC

  • When: Wednesday, August 30
  • Where: DRV PNK Stadium, Ft. Lauderdale
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: Apple TV

MLS Starting Lineups

Inter Miami possible lineup:
Callender; Yedlin, Kryvstov, Miller, Alba; Cremaschi, Busquets, Arroyo; Messi, Taylor, Martinez

Nashville possible lineup:
Willis; MacNaughton, Zimmerman, Bauer, Lovitz; Muyl, McCarty, Anunga, Leal; Mukhtar, Bunbury

MLS Odds and betting lines

MLS odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Odds were last updated Monday at 4:33 p.m.

Inter Miami (-195) vs. Nashville SC (+480)

Draw: (+330)

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How to watch Inter Miami vs. New York Red Bulls: Messi set for MLS debut

Messi, along with Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, are finally set to make their MLS debuts

Lionel Messi has long since arrived in North America, but he’s only played in cup competitions thus far with Inter Miami. That all changes on Saturday.

Messi, along with former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, are all set to make their MLS debuts with an away game against the New York Red Bulls. The trio already won the Leagues Cup and will have the U.S. Open Cup final next month.

Until then, it’s all about league play which begins with the game at Red Bull Arena.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Messi and Inter Miami vs New York Red Bulls” link=”https://apple.co/3EaURhY”]

MLS play will be a much different challenge for Messi and Co. As impressive as the Argentine has been, it would be a sensational achievement if Inter Miami makes the MLS playoffs. Inter sits in the bottom of the Eastern Conference and are 14 points from a postseason position with 11 games to go.

But as Messi has reminded us: It’s never wise to count him out. Here is everything you need to know to catch all the action:

New York Red Bulls vs. Inter Miami (Major League Soccer)

  • When: Saturday, August 26
  • Where: Red Bull Arena
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: Apple TV

MLS Starting Lineups

New York Red Bulls possible lineup:
Coronel; Harper, Reyes, Nealis, Tolkin; Fernandez, Edelman, Yearwood, Luquinhas; Barlow, Manoel

Inter Miami possible lineup:
Callender; Yedlin, Kryvstov, Miller, Alba; Cremaschi, Busquets, Mota; Messi, Taylor, Martinez

MLS Odds and betting lines

MLS odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Odds were last updated Friday at 1:43 p.m.

New York Red Bulls (+135) vs. Inter Miami (+180)

Draw: (+250)

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Messi and Inter Miami on Apple TV” link=”https://apple.co/3EaURhY”]

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How to watch Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati: Messi starts hunt for second title

Just a month after his arrival, Messi is already close to a second trophy in North America

Just days after winning his first trophy with Inter Miami, Lionel Messi is already just two wins away from a second.

Messi, who helped Inter Miami win the Leagues Cup via a penalty shootout victory over Nashville SC in Saturday’s final, now moves onto another cup competition. FC Cincinnati awaits Inter Miami on Wednesday in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal.

Messi, along with ex-Barcelona teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, will jump into Open Cup play after Inter Miami reached the last four prior to the trio’s arrival.

In FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami will face a strong, but wounded opponent.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch FC Cincinnati vs. Inter Miami on Paramount+” link=”https://paramountplus.qflm.net/nLoJER”]

FC Cincinnati has the best record in MLS, but their return to league play over the weekend did not go to plan.

The Columbus Crew are no slouch, but thrashing their “Hell Is Real” derby rivals 3-0 was not expected on Sunday. Not to mention, the Orange and Blue were knocked out by Nashville SC in the Leagues Cup round of 32 prior to that.

A betting man would guess FC Cincinnati regroups and brings a better game against Inter Miami. But enough to hand Messi & Co. their first defeat? That may be a hard wager to place.

Here is everything you need to know to catch all the action:

Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati (U.S. Open Cup)

  • When: Wednesday, August 23
  • Where: TQL Stadium (Cincinnati)
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: Paramount+

Leagues Cup Starting Lineups

Inter Miami possible lineup:
Callender, Yedlin, Miller, Kryvtsov, Alba, Arroyo, Busquets, Cremaschi, Messi, Martinez, Taylor

FC Cincinnati possible lineup:
Celentano, Gaddis, Miazga, Hagglund, Arias, Moreno, Nwobodo, Powell, Acosta, Vazquez, Boupendza

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Messi and Inter Miami on Paramount+” link=”https://paramountplus.qflm.net/nLoJER”]

Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC: How to watch Messi in Leagues Cup final

Can Messi pull it off in the final?

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami’s magical Leagues Cup run has reached its final turn. Can he mark the occasion once again?

Messi, joined by former Barcelona-turned-Miami teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, have reached the Leagues Cup final. Awaiting Miami is Nashville SC.

Since the trio’s arrival, Inter Miami has become a powerhouse. The team scored 22 times in 22 MLS matches prior to Messi joining. They have 21 in Messi’s six games played thus far, with the Argentine legend scoring nine himself.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Inter Miami vs Nashville SC on Apple TV” link=”https://apple.co/3OIMOOh”]

But Nashville has also been rejuvenated of late.

Former Premier League striker Sam Surridge has netted three goals in three games since joining the club. Surridge and MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar will be a formidable test for the upstart Miami side.

Here is everything you need to know to catch all the action:

Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC (Leagues Cup)

  • When: Saturday, August 19
  • Where: Geodis Park (Nashville)
  • Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: Apple TV

Leagues Cup Starting Lineups

Inter Miami possible lineup:
Callender, Yedlin, Miller, Kryvtsov, Alba, Arroyo, Busquets, Gomez, Messi, Martinez, Taylor

Nashville SC possible lineup:
Panicco, Lovitz, Zimmerman, MacNaughton, Moore, Shaffelburg, Godoy, McCarty, Muyl, Mukhtar, Surridge

Leagues Cup Odds and betting lines

MLS odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Odds were last updated Friday, August 18, at 5:12 p.m.

Inter Miami (-110) vs. Charlotte FC (+240)

Draw: (+270)

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Messi and Inter Miami on Apple TV” link=”https://apple.co/3OIMOOh”]

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Messi, Inter Miami through to Leagues Cup final after crushing Philadelphia Union

Can anyone stop Messi and Miami?

It may have been sunny in Philadelphia, but only for Lionel Messi and Inter Miami.

For the fourth time in six games since Messi’s arrival, Miami scored four goals in a match, this time thrashing the Philadelphia Union 4-1 and securing a spot in the Leagues Cup final.

The semifinal continued a trend Miami enjoyed in the quarterfinals. Namely, Messi drew so much attention that his teammates had acres of space to essentially do whatever they wanted. In soccer, it is generally seen as bad when your opponent has this luxury.

With Union head coach Jim Curtin telling Apple TV pre-game that he would use potent scorer Dániel Gazdag to mark Sergio Busquets and require another player to pick Messi up at all times, Miami’s other nine players had the run of Subaru Park.

It took all of three minutes for that to result in a goal, after Sergii Kryvtsov sized up a long ball that caught the Union’s Damion Lowe out. From there, Josef Martínez raced away before placing a finish beyond Andre Blake.

The game had barely started, and Miami had yet another early lead.

Drake Callender denied Gazdag on a golden chance for Philadelphia to get level. It was a big moment, because Messi did what Messi does shortly thereafter.

Miami tried to break forward after catching the Union pushing up, with Lowe crashing into Martínez. However, the Jamaica defender didn’t arrive before Martínez’s pass found Messi, and from long range the Barcelona legend produced a surgical shot into the bottom corner.

The Union finally stabilized through some physical play and staying connected in an unusual 5-4-1 diamond set-up, but the damage seemed to be done. The job appeared to be to survive until halftime and then dramatically change the gameplan in pursuit of a huge comeback.

So, about that.

Robert Taylor held possession for a long spell with no one from the Union quite sure who should step to him, allowing Jordi Alba to make a run from deep.

With Lowe holding the Spain legend onside, Taylor’s pass just needed a finish, and Alba got himself a first goal since joining Miami this summer. It was that easy.

A much-improved Union made subs to push for the early goal needed to have any shot at a miraculous recovery, but quarterfinal hero Chris Donovan fired over an empty net in the 56th minute. Jakob Glesnes did the same a few minutes later after Mikael Uhre’s flick-on found him. It simply was not Philadelphia’s night.

Miami’s star-studded team has never particularly looked comfortable having to defend — Messi is rather famously not a defender — and all that pressure finally paid off. Alejandro Bedoya, just moments after stepping into the fray, punched home a loose ball following a set piece, finally injecting some drama into the match.

It was fun while it lasted. With Philadelphia leaving numbers forward, Miami pounced: Messi fed DeAndre Yedlin on the break, and the U.S. men’s national team veteran fed youngster David Ruíz to shut the game down as a contest.

Miami’s emphatic win, beyond giving the club a shot at a first-ever trophy later this week, has locked in a place in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup, as both finalists and the third-place winner in the Leagues Cup will be in the region’s premier club championship next year.

With the way things are going, this run seems set to carry on for some time.

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How to watch Inter Miami vs. Philadelphia: Messi’s Leagues Cup semifinal TV and streaming info

Messi and Miami face Philadelphia with a berth in the Leagues Cup final on the line

The Inter Miami train continues to roll through the 2023 Leagues Cup with conductor Lionel Messi leading the way.

Now for potentially the toughest test to date: Philadelphia.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Messi and Inter Miami vs Philadelphia” link=”https://apple.co/3qyB0pZ”]

Miami has reached the semifinal round of the cup competition following a 4-0 rout of Charlotte FC. Messi, along with teammates once again Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, have settled in well in south Florida. But now they travel to face the Eastern Conference’s third-place side in the Union.

Philly has survived and advanced throughout the knockout stages. Two of their past three games took penalties to decide things as the 2022 Eastern Conference winners have proved they will fight tooth and nail to get results.

Here is everything you need to know to catch all the Leagues Cup action:

Inter Miami vs. Philadelphia Union (Leagues Cup)

  • When: Tuesday, August 15
  • Where: Subaru Park (Chester, PA)
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: Apple TV (Watch now)

Leagues Cup Starting Lineups

Philadelphia Union possible lineup:
Blake, Glesnes, Elliott, Lowe, Martinez, Mbaizo, Wagner, Bueno, McGlynn, Carranza, Uhre

Inter Miami possible lineup:
Callender, Yedlin, Miller, Kryvtsov, Alba, Arroyo, Busquets, Cremaschi, Messi, Martinez, Taylor

Leagues Cup Odds and betting lines

MLS odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Odds were last updated Monday 3:16 p.m.

Philadelphia Union (+170) vs. Inter Miami (+115)

Draw: (+270)

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Messi and Inter Miami on Apple TV” link=”https://apple.co/3qyB0pZ”]

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Inter Miami vs. Charlotte FC: How to watch Lionel Messi’s Leagues Cup run

Charlotte FC looks to slow down Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in the next round of the Leagues Cup

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami have been cruising along in the Leagues Cup, but experienced some real turbulence against FC Dallas in the round of 16.

But in large part because of Messi’s heroics, Inter Miami defeated Dallas in a penalty shootout. It was their bumpiest road to date, but it didn’t start out that way.

Jordi Alba connected with his former Barcelona teammate for the opening goal, giving Miami an early lead. But Miami and their star trio of Messi, Alba and Sergio Busquets saw near disaster by going down 4-2 with just 20 minutes to play.

No problem.

Inter crawled back, winning in penalties after Messi’s second goal of the contest tied the game late. That sent Miami into a quarterfinal matchup with Charlotte FC.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Inter Miami vs Charlotte FC on Apple TV” link=”https://apple.co/3QxZQ3L”]

Charlotte faces a huge challenge in hoping to become the first club to slow Miami’s roll, with Messi emerging victorious in all four games with the club thus far, scoring seven goals.

The big three in Inter’s lineup have yet to play in Major League Soccer action, and thus, Miami remains at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, this same Charlotte team sit only a few places above Miami in 12th place.

Here is everything you need to know to catch all the action:

Inter Miami vs. Charlotte FC (Leagues Cup)

  • When: Friday, August 11
  • Where: DRV PNK Stadium
  • Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: Apple TV

Leagues Cup Starting Lineups

Inter Miami possible lineup:
Callender, Yedlin, Miller, Kryvtsov, Alba, Arroyo, Busquets, Gomez, Messi, Martinez, Taylor

Charlotte FC possible lineup:
Kahlina, Lindsey, Malanda, Privett, Byrne, Westwood, Jozwiak, Arfield, Bronico, Vargas, Swiderski

Leagues Cup Odds and betting lines

MLS odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Odds were last updated Tuesday 3:35 PM ET.

Inter Miami (-195) vs. Charlotte FC (+430)

Draw: (+320)

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Messi and Inter Miami on Apple TV” link=”https://apple.co/3QxZQ3L”]

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Inter Miami vs. FC Dallas: How to watch Lionel Messi at the Leagues Cup

Get your latest dose of Lionel Messi

The Lionel Messi hype train has continued to roll the competition since his arrival at Inter Miami. Next up in the Leagues Cup is a trip to the Lone Star State.

On Sunday, Inter Miami will face FC Dallas in the round of 16 in the 2023 Leagues Cup.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Messi and Inter Miami vs FC Dallas on Apple TV” link=”https://apple.co/3rYEdiT”]

Thanks in big part to Messi, Miami has become one of the favorites in the competition. He has five goals in three outings since arriving alongside Sergio Busquets.

And on top of Messi and Busquets, Jordi Alba is likely to increase his playing time against Dallas as well after making his Inter Miami debut in the team’s last game.

Even with the spotlight on Miami’s big-name signings, Dallas has earned its stripes in this competition. After dropping their first matchup of the Leagues Cup to Charlotte on penalties, back-to-back home wins over Liga MX sides put them right back on track. Forward Eugene Ansah has scored off the bench in two straight victories for a side which also features United States international Jesús Ferreira.

More importantly, Dallas has allowed 26 goals in MLS this year, the fifth-best number in the league. A key ahead of facing a stacked Miami attack.

Here’s everything you need to know to catch all the action:

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Inter Miami vs FC Dallas on Apple TV” link=”https://apple.co/3rYEdiT”]

Inter Miami vs. Orlando City (Leagues Cup)

  • When: Sunday, Aug. 6
  • Where: Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)
  • Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
  • Channel/streaming: Apple TV

Leagues Cup Starting Lineups

Inter Miami possible starting lineup: 
Callender; Yedlin, Kryvtsov, Miller, Alba; Arroyo, Busquets, Cremaschi; Messi, Martinez, Taylor.

FC Dallas possible starting lineup: 
Paes; Junqua, Martinez, Tafari, Jesus; Velasco, Quignon, Lletget; Obrian, Ferreira, Kamungo

Premier League Odds and betting lines

MLS odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Odds were last updated Saturday at 9:44 a.m. ET.

FC Dallas (+210) vs. Inter Miami (+115)

Draw: (+220)

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Lionel Messi and Inter Miami vs FC Dallas on Apple TV” link=”https://apple.co/3rYEdiT”]

We recommend interesting sports viewing/streaming and betting opportunities. If you sign up for a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.