Los Angeles, CA – All eyes don turn to Lionel Messi as Inter Miami dey travel go Los Angeles to take on LAFC for the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals. Dis match go happen on Wednesday night at BMO Stadium and e go kick off by 11:30 p.m. ET.
Messi, wey dey 37 years, don dey face injury and fitness wahala dis season as e don play only full 90 minutes three times across all competitions. Di eight-time Ballon d’Or winner don deal with issus for im adductor area, wey no allow am represent di team for some matches. But e don recover and show say e fit still deliver as e score just two minutes after e enter di pitch against Philadelphia Union last weekend.
Despite di excitement around Messi, Inter Miami dey take am easy. Head Coach Javier Mascherano talk say, “I expect say Leo go fit play against LAFC, but we go know di full story when di game start. Di most important thing be say he perform well against Philadelphia. We don return to training on Monday, and we go see how di players dey feel.”
Inter Miami don enjoy good form so far, wey dey sit atop di Supporters’ Shield standings with four wins, no loss and one draw dis season. Dem just win Philadelphia Union 2-1, with Messi scoring in less than three minutes after e enter di match.
Di LAFC squad, known for dem home advantage, go also be ready as dem don knockout Colorado Rapids and Columbus Crew in di previous rounds. Forward Denis Bouanga don be key player for dem, scoring three goals for Columbus Crew wey help dem advance.
Dis quarterfinal be di only series among di four wey fit claim say both teams don win major trophies, with Miami taking di Supporters’ Shield and LAFC being di 2024 U.S. Open Cup champions. E be like say di two teams dey ready to face each other tru dis high-stakes matchup.
Di Concacaf Champions Cup don reach di quarterfinal stage dis year, wey get di best clubs for North and Central America plus di Caribbean. Last year, Mexican teams don dey dominant for di tournament, but dis year, more MLS teams don dey make di wave as four MLS teams still dey contest.
Di winner of dis match go proceed to di semifinals to face di winner between Vancouver Whitecaps and Pumas UNAM. Head Coach for LAFC, Steve Cherundolo, talk say, “We need to show di good side of ourselves and start di game strong. When we dey aggressive and confident, we dey dangerous.”
Inter Miami fit achieve victory if dem secure at least a draw. Dem don fit show say even with injuries, di squad fit handle di pressure, and if Messi fit play, he go give dem dat edge as e don show say he sabi turn di game around.
