Lionel Messi enters uncharted territory Friday night, making his Major League Soccer playoff debut as Inter Miami hosts Atlanta United in a best-of-three Eastern Conference first-round series, facing the only MLS team to defeat him this season.
Despite missing nearly half the regular season due to injuries and national team commitments, Messi arrives in devastating form after recording a hat trick in Miami’s 6-2 season-finale victory over New England. The Argentine superstar has posted remarkable numbers in limited action: 20 goals and 16 assists in just 19 appearances, prompting MVP consideration despite his abbreviated season.
“If I could vote for him, I would have,” Miami defender Julian Gressel said. “The MVP stands for the best player in the league. And Leo is that, by far. You know, there’s other people out there that have the definition of an MVP that maybe makes the team better or that a team can’t live without. In a sense, to me, Leo is that, too.”
Inter Miami, which set MLS records for points and winning percentage this season, faces significant stakes in its first-ever home playoff match. Victory in this series would secure home-field advantage through the remainder of the playoffs, including potential conference semifinals, conference final, and MLS Cup matches.
“This was always about creating history for Miami,” said owner David Beckham, who first announced plans for the franchise over a decade ago. “This was always about our family, La Familia, the people in this stadium, the people in this city.”
The matchup features interesting connections, including Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who led Atlanta to the 2018 MLS Cup. Atlanta interim coach Rob Valentino acknowledged the unique challenge of facing Messi: “He’s arguably the best player that’s ever played. We’ve faced him a few times and we know obviously his qualities, but also at the same time, they have other players that are good, too.”
Atlanta earned this playoff matchup by defeating Montreal in Tuesday’s wild-card match. The series opener at a sold-out Miami stadium represents the most significant match of Inter Miami’s season, as the best-of-three format leaves little room for error.
