Inter Miami will look to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign when they take on CF Montreal in their next game. The Herons have a chance to match their longest MLS unbeaten run from the 2023 season when they welcome the sixth-placed side at Chase Stadium. Messi and his teammates recorded the largest margin of victory in club history last week and will be eager to maintain their spot at the top of the table.
But it could be far from a straightforward task. Montreal, coached by Laurent Courtois has been defensively astute and has conceded just a single goal until now.
Inter Miami vs CF Montreal, Team & Injury news
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Inter Miami topping the Eastern Conference is impressive, considering their injury issues. Franco Negri, Ian Fray, and Facundo Farias are all recovering from ACL injuries and won’t be available soon. Benjamin Cremaschi is also recovering from a sports hernia surgery. Robbie Robbinson had a knock, and it’s unknown if he will be available, but Jordi Alba who missed the previous match because of an illness will likely return.
Lionel Messi received a nasty-looking challenge on his calf in the last game, but he will be available, per Tata Martino. Luis Suarez is expected to lead the line. The second option up front, Leo Campana missed the Nashville game because of a knock, and his participation is still uncertain.
For CF Montreal, the club could be without its attacker Matias Coccaro who is nursing a hip injury. Kwadwo Opoku has a torn ligament and he won’t be available for several weeks. Other injury absentees are Robert Thorkelsson (groin) and Lassi Lappalainen (ankle). Moreover, the status of Joaquin Sosa (leg injury) and Dominik Yankov (thigh strain) remains in doubt.
Inter Miami vs CF Montreal: Expected line-ups
Inter Miami’s probable starting XI
(4-3-3): Callender; Gressel, Aviles, Freire, Alba; Redondo, Busquets, Gomez; Messi, Suarez, Taylor.
CF Montreal’s probable starting XI
(3-4-2-1): Sirois; Campbell, Waterman, Corbo; Ruan, Piette, Choiniere, Lassiter; Martinez, Vilsaint.
Score Prediction
Montreal, coached by Laurent Courtois has been defensively astute and has conceded just a single goal until now and are unbeaten in the league. But they don’t enjoy a particularly good record in Florida and have been winless in their last three visits to the Sunshine State, be it against Inter Miami or Orlando City. Their two games have seen them draw their opening 0-0 against Orlando City on the road. They recorded a 2-1 win against Dallas last week. But they will face a stern test against a Messi-inspired Inter Miami.
Last weekend, Inter Miami thrashed arch-rivals Orlando City 5-0, their biggest win in club history. Messi scored a goal and set up another, with Luis Suarez scoring two and assisting two. If they beat CF Montreal in their next game they will match their longest MLS unbeaten run of four games from last season. They started the campaign with a 2-0 home win against Real Salt Lake before a 1-1 draw on the road against LA Galaxy towards the end of last month.
A win over Montreal would also mark the first time they will have triumphed in three successive MLS home fixtures since the 2022 campaign (four). With Messi and Suarez in devastating form and Inter Miami keen to maintain its early position at the summit, it will be hard to see them faltering.
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Hence, we predict a comprehensive 3-1 win for Inter Miami with goals from Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
How to watch Inter Miami vs CF Montreal
The game kicks off at the newly named Chase stadium at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT. Fans worldwide can stream the match via the MLS Season Pass subscription on Apple TV.
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This won’t be an easy encounter for Inter Miami. But a victory could keep their position at the top of the table intact for another week. Who do you think will come out victorious? Or is a surprise draw on the cards? Let us know your predictions below.