Inter Miami CF seek a bounce-back result Saturday evening when hosting St. Louis CITY SC, all before Lionel Messi departs to help Argentina defend their Copa América title.
How to watch & stream
When
- Saturday, June 1 | 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT
Where
- Chase Stadium | Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Messi could miss up to six weeks while representing La Albiceleste, who meet Ecuador (June 9) and Guatemala (June 14) in friendlies before starting Group A play at Copa América 2024. Lionel Scaloni's team, which won the 2022 FIFA World Cup, are expected to make a deep run – potentially to the July 14 final at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Beforehand, Messi will look to leave Supporters' Shield-leading Inter Miami with momentum as a busy, soccer-filled summer approaches.
- Record: 10W-3L-4D (34 points)
- Standings: 1st place, Eastern Conference
Inter Miami enter Matchday 18 fresh off Wednesday's 3-1 defeat to Atlanta United, unable to mount another comeback after Messi's long-range golazo chipped away at Saba Lobjanidze's brace and Player of the Matchday performance.
Now, with their 10-game unbeaten run over, Inter Miami start anew. And they'll hope for more magic from Messi, who boasts a league-leading 23 goal contributions (11g/12a) as MLS All-Star voting opens.
Despite the setback, Inter Miami still lead the overall MLS table. That's because FC Cincinnati, hot on their heels, also slipped up midweek with a 2-0 defeat to Nashville SC.
- Record: 3W-4L-7D (16 points)
- Standings: 11th place, Western Conference
St. Louis are yet to replicate the heights of their 2023 debut, when they earned the Western Conference's No. 1 seed in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs and set several expansion-club records.
Goalscoring has been the biggest issue for head coach Bradley Carnell's team, which has lost three straight. They recently added German attacker Cedric Teuchert, but he won't be available for selection until mid-July (when the Secondary Transfer Window opens).
St. Louis, who pride themselves on the system above individual talent, visit Inter Miami as underdogs. But in former Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Bürki, they have a game-changer who could frustrate Messi & Co.
