Lionel Messi said it would be “beautiful for everyone” if Inter Miami He can collect the first cup.
Standing in the way of Saturday’s League Cup final is another team, Nashville SC, This is to play for the first cup of any kind. To get to this point, Nashville beat Liga MX team Powerhouse CF Monterrey, 2-0, in the semifinals.
After winning just five of their 22 regular season games, Inter Miami won all six of their League Cup matches. Its 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union in the semifinals marked Miami’s most impressive win in the team’s short history.
Reaching the League Cup Final is quite an achievement for a Miami team that currently sits in last place in the Premier League Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference. But it has enjoyed an unprecedented summer rebuild, most notably the addition of 2022 World Cup champion and seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi. Inter Miami also signed two former Barcelona teammates – Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets – and three South American prodigies along with 20-year-old Paraguayan midfielder Diego Gomez, 20-year-old Argentine midfielder Facundo Farias and 19-year-old- Old Argentine defender Tomas Aviles. Farias and Aviles did not make their debut in Inter Miami.
Messi scored nine goals in six League Cup matches, while Inter Miami scored 21 during the tournament – a far cry from the 22 goals they scored in 22 MLS matches prior to Messi’s arrival.
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While Inter Miami was able to quickly turn around fortunes by signing the greatest soccer player of all time, Nashville SC brings a more blue-collar style to the field. Anchored by a solid defense and starring one of the best designated player signings in league history in Hani Mokhtar, Nashville SC has been a consistent MLS contender since its inception in 2020.
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Here’s everything you need to know about the League Cup final:
When does Lionel Messi play?
Messi and Inter Miami play Nashville in the League Cup championship game on Saturday, August 19 at 9 p.m. ET.
How to watch Lionel Messi in the League Cup Final
The League Cup final between Inter Miami and Nashville can be broadcast live via MLS Season Pass on Camel.
What are the stakes in the League Cup final?
While both League Cup finalists – as well as the winner of the third-place match between Philadelphia Union and CF Monterrey – earn automatic berths for 2024 in the Rebranding of the CONCACAF Champions Cup (formerly known as the CONCACAF Champions League), the winner of the League Cup earns automatic qualification to the Round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup.
Neither Inter Miami nor Nashville have ever qualified for the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup.
There are prize money also awarded to the winning teams in the League Cup with the champion It said You earn about $2 million.
Where will the League Cup final match be held?
The League Cup Final will be held in Giudice Park In Nashville, Tennessee. The stadium will open in 2022. It has a capacity of 30,000 seats, making Jeudis Park the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States.
What do you know about Nashville SC
Nashville SC and Inter Miami both joined MLS as expansion teams in 2020. Nashville SC has enjoyed far more success, to date, than Inter Miami. Nashville has made the playoffs in each of its three seasons, advancing to the conference semifinals in 2020 and 2021. Last season, Hany Mukhtar – First named player signed for Nashville in August 2019 – He won MVP awards in the league. Mukhtar is having an exciting follow up to his MVP campaign, and currently leads MLS with 13 goals.
cannon Walker Zimmerman He is a two-time MLS Defender of the Year and a four-time MLS Player of the Year winner. Both Zimmermann and his fellow defender Chuck Moore They were part of the 2022 World Cup USA Team. Newly signed Sam Surridge He scored the first goal in Nashville’s 2-0 victory over Monterrey in the League Cup semi-finals. Midfielder Dax McCarty He is in his 18th season in MLS after being a first round pick in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft by FC Dallas. Nashville is the fifth different team McCarty has played for.
What is the remaining 2023 schedule at Inter Miami?
- August 19: the time Nashville SC (League Cup Final), 9 p.m. ET
- TBD (originally scheduled for August 20): Vs. Charlotte7:30 p.m. ET
- August 23: the time Cincinnati (US Open Cup Semifinals), 7 p.m. ET
- August 26: the time New York Red Bulls7:30 p.m. ET
- August 30: vs. Nashville SC7:30 p.m. ET
- September 3: the time Los Angeles10:30 p.m. ET
- September 9: vs. Sporting Kansas City7:30 p.m. ET
- September 16th: the time Atlanta United7:30 p.m. ET
- September 20: vs. Toronto F.C7:30 p.m. ET
- Sept. 24: the time Orlando City7:30 p.m. ET
- September 30: vs. New York City F.C7:30 p.m. ET
- October 4th: the time Chicago Fire8:30 p.m. ET
- October 7: vs. Cincinnati7:30 p.m. ET
- October 21st: the time Charlotte6 p.m. ET
except US Open Cup Semi-final match on August 23 (which will be available to stream on CBS Sports Golazo), all other Inter Miami games are available to watch online MLS Season Pass on Camel.
When does the MLS regular season resume?
football League Returns to regular season action on Sunday. What was set to be Messi’s MLS debut against Inter Miami has been postponed – it was scheduled for August 20 against Charlotte FC. Now it looks like Messi could play in his first MLS regular season game against Inter Miami New York Red Bulls On August 26 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.
Here are the regular season MLS games on Sunday:
- Columbus Crew against. Cincinnati7:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
- New York Red Bulls against. D.C. United7:30 p.m. ET
- New York City F.C against. Minnesota United7:30 p.m. ET
- Toronto F.C against. CF Montreal7:30 p.m. ET
- Chicago Fire against. Orlando City8:30 p.m. ET
- Houston Dynamo against. Portland Timbers8:30 p.m. ET
- St. Louis City SC against. Austin F.C9:30 p.m. ET (FS1)
- Los Angeles Galaxy against. Real Salt Lake10:30 p.m. ET (Delayed)
- Los Angeles against. Colorado Rapids10:30 p.m. ET (Delayed)
- Seattle Sounders against. Atlanta United10:30 p.m. ET
- Vancouver Whitecaps against. San Jose Earthquakes10:30 p.m. ET
All matches will be broadcast live MLS Season Pass on Camel.
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