The Main League Soccer playoffs start Friday when Inter Miami performs Atlanta United within the first recreation of a best-of-three Jap Convention collection.
Per DraftKings, Miami is closely favored. However Atlanta tends to convey out the worst within the Lionel Messi-powered powerhouse that earned the MLS Supporters’ Protect by main the league in factors with 74.
Miami completed first within the East this season, whereas Atlanta completed ninth (and beat eighth-place CF Montréal within the wild-card recreation to earn its playoff spot).
Miami is undefeated towards 14 of the 21 groups it has performed within the league since Messi joined the staff in July 2023. The one staff it has did not beat is lowly ninth-placed Atlanta.
Atlanta crushed Miami twice within the Messi period, profitable 5-2 when Messi was unavailable and 3-1 when he was match and beginning. The 2 performed out a 2-2 draw of their most up-to-date assembly, with Atlanta striker Aleksei Miranchuk scoring a surprise aim to stage issues late within the second half.
Miami’s Messi-era file towards Atlanta presently stands at performed 3, misplaced 2, drew 1, with a -5 cumulative aim distinction throughout all three matches. It is Miami’s worst file towards any staff in MLS since Messi’s arrival.
Atlanta’s edge might be its familiarity with Inter Miami coach Tata Martino, who constructed his MLS profession in Atlanta, the place he received the MLS Cup in 2018. A lot of Martino’s co-workers from that interval stay with Atlanta, they usually know Martino’s tips higher than simply about anybody.
There’s solely a lot Atlanta can do towards particular person brilliance from gamers resembling Messi, however it leverages its deep data of Martino’s ways to throw the remainder of his gamers off their rhythm.
Atlanta striker Saba Lobzhanidze, a participant informal followers could acknowledge from Georgia’s unprecedented run throughout the summer time’s European Championships, likes taking part in towards defenses resembling Miami’s that wrestle with distance photographs. He scored twice from lengthy distance towards Miami this season.
If Miami enters this collection towards Atlanta with out making ready for its tactical brilliance and long-range shotmaking, it may be embarrassed within the opening spherical, throwing the league into tilt.
