Can Lionel Messi and Inter Miami get back on track after one of their worse stretches together in Major League Soccer?
Inter Miami will visit the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night, with Messi’s club in desperate need of a victory.
Inter Miami has one win, a draw, and five losses in their last seven matches. They’ve been outscored 20-12 during the stretch. They’ve tumbled from fourth to sixth place in the MLS Eastern Conference.
This match will be a tough test against the Union, which is in first place in the East standings.
“It’s a difficult time, but we’re going to come through this together,” Messi said after the club’s last match, a 3-0 loss to Orlando City. “Now we’ll really see if we’re a team in difficult times because when everything is going well, it’s very easy. But when difficult times come, like now, that’s when we have to be more united than ever, be a real team and get through it.”
Here are live updates and everything you need to know about the Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami match:
Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Second half underway
Inter Miami has kicked off to start the second half against the Philadelphia Union, with the latter leading 2-0.
Big test for Lionel Messi’s star-studded Herons, who have now given up 12 goals in their last 315 minutes of MLS play.
Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Messi uninvolved as hosts lead 2-0 at halftime
Halftime has arrived between the Philadelphia Union and Inter Miami, and the top team in MLS leads Lionel Messi and Co. 2-0.
Quinn Sullivan and Tai Baribo have the goals, and both are going to make for ugly viewing when the Herons do video review of this match. Meanwhile, Messi has not had a major impact on proceedings, and the visitors have created just four total shot attempts and 0.29 expected goals.
Lionel Messi stats at halftime
Per Sofascore, here are Messi’s key first-half stats:
Shots: 2 (one blocked, one on goal)
Passes: 18-for-23 (78%)
Key passes: 0
Dribbles: 3-for-7
Expected goals: 0.09
Expected assists: 0.05
Possession lost: 10
Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Tai Baribo strikes, host lead 2-0
The Philadelphia Union have added a potentially critical second goal just before halftime, with leading scorer Tai Baribo burying a chance from 14 yards.
It’s another grim goal for Miami to concede, with Indiana Vassilev and Mikael Uhre both simply out-hustling lurking Miami defenders to keep a lost cause alive inside the Herons’ box. Eventually, the ball found its way towards the top of the area, and with Baribo leading the MLS Golden Boot race, this ending was inevitable.
Baribo thundered home his shot, and Miami trails 2-0 as first half-stoppage time is underway.
Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Vassilev, Fray booked
A brewing dispute between the Philadelphia Union’s Indiana Vassilev and Inter Miami’s Ian Fray has ended with bookings for both players, with referee Drew Fischer having seen enough.
Fray clipped Vassilev near midfield, causing the latest flare-up between the two, who have been jawing at one another since the game’s early minutes.
Inter Miami forced to substitute Yannick Bright after injury
It’s not going well for Inter Miami, and the hits keep coming.
Defensive midfielder Yannick Bright is having to depart earlier than planned, with Federico Redondo entering to replace him in the 40th minute.
Replays show Bright grabbing his hamstring after leaping, and after a moment of treatment, it’s clear he can’t continue. Redondo is a like-for-like replacement, though he offers less of a ball-winning presence than Bright.
Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Messi jeered by Philly fans
You have to give it to Philly sports fans: they will boo anyone, especially if we’re talking about a visiting team.
Lionel Messi’s appearances on the road have caused some tension in other MLS cities, with home fans sometimes choosing to sell their tickets to fans of the Argentine legend. The reception as Miami has played away games around the country has often been less than hostile.
While there are pink Miami shirts peppered into the stands — this is Messi’s first competitive appearance in the region with Miami, after missing this trip last year during the Copa América — Union fans are very much loudly booing Messi as he takes a corner for the Herons. Some traditions never die, and Philadelphia fans are a clear example.
Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami: Quinn Sullivan opens scoring
Inter Miami’s defensive woes have continued, with the Herons doing a miserable job defending a seventh-minute Philadelphia Union corner kick.
There’s no way around it: this is an embarrassing goal for the visitors to concede. Philadelphia picked up on the fact that Miami was not paying attention just before a corner kick, with Kai Wagner quickly passing to Quinn Sullivan.
Sullivan — just days after receiving his first USMNT call-up — had plenty of time as a result of Miami’s lack of focus, and made no mistake with a splendid shot from the corner of the box.
Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami kickoff: Messi faces MLS league leaders
The Philadelphia Union have kicked off against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in this MLS regular season match at Subaru Park in Chester, Pa.
What time does Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami match begin?
The match will start at 7:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. in Argentina), and will be played at Subaru Park in Chester, PA.
How to watch Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami match?
The match is available to live stream on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.
Is Messi playing? Philadelphia vs. Inter Miami starting lineups
Lionel Messi is in the starting 11 for Inter Miami, and will captain the team for head coach Javier Mascherano:
The Philadelphia Union starting 11 is below:
For Miami, the notable change is that Tómas Avilés has replaced normal starter Maximilano Falcón as one of the two center backs in what is expected to be a 4-2-3-1 formation. Mascherano also appears to be addressing a documented issue with veteran star Jordi Alba’s defending by pushing him up into an attacking role, starting Noah Allen at left back instead. That was the approach used in Miami’s last match, but Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Orlando City means the solution might need more work.
The Union, meanwhile, have brought Tai Baribo back into the lineup after giving their leading scorer a rest in Saturday’s 1-0 road win over Atlanta United. Head coach Bradley Carnell, deploying what will likely be a 4-4-2, has also restored normal starters Danley Jean Jacques, Quinn Sullivan, and Indiana Vassilev to the midfield. Center back Jakob Glesnes is preferred over Frankie Westfield (with Nathaniel Harriel moving to right back to make room).
Inter Miami vs. Philadelphia Union weather forecast
Per the National Weather Service, conditions at Subaru Park for the game between the Philadelphia Union and visiting Inter Miami should be unseasonably cool, but that should have no impact on Saturday’s match.
Temperatures are expected to hover around 60 during the match, with a 9-10 mph breeze occasionally gusting up to 20 mph. Subaru Park’s proximity to the Delaware River might exacerbate that aspect, but chances of precipitation are virtually non-existent.
Messi stats vs. Philadelphia Union: Inter Miami star has tormented Union
Lionel Messi has scored on just about everyone he’s faced in MLS, and he has done particularly well against Saturday’s opponent, the Philadelphia Union.
Since Messi came to MLS in 2023, he has been available to play in three of four meetings between Philadelphia and Inter Miami. In those games, he has scored four goals and added an assist.
Inter Miami vs. Philadelphia Union: Historical results, series history
Overall, Inter Miami boasts a 6W-4L-2D record against the Philadelphia Union since Lionel Messi’s club debuted in 2020.
Here is the all-time series record between both clubs across all competitions:
July 15, 2020: Philadelphia 2, Miami 1 (MLS is Back Tournament)
September 28, 2020: Philadelphia 3, Miami 0 (MLS regular season)
April 25, 2021: Miami 2, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)
July 26, 2021: Miami 1, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)
May 19, 2022: Philadelphia 0, Miami 0 (MLS regular season)
July 14, 2022: Philadelphia 2, Miami 1 (MLS regular season)
March 5, 2023: Miami 2, Philadelphia 0 (MLS regular season)
June 25, 2023: Philadelphia 4, Miami 1 (MLS regular season)
August 16, 2023: Miami 4, Philadelphia 1 (Leagues Cup semifinal)
June 16, 2024: Miami 2, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)
September 15, 2024: Miami 3, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)
March 30, 2025: Miami 2, Philadelphia 1 (MLS regular season)
Where are Messi, Inter Miami in MLS standings?
Below are the current MLS standings for the Eastern Conference. Where necessary, the tiebreaker involved to separate two teams will be noted after point totals:
Philadelphia Union: 29 points (plus-13 goal difference)
FC Cincinnati: 29 points (plus-4 goal difference)
Columbus Crew: 27 points
Nashville SC: 24 points (seven total wins)
Orlando City: 24 points (six total wins)
Inter Miami: 22 points
New York City FC: 21 points
Charlotte FC: 19 points (six total wins)
Chicago Fire: 19 points (five total wins)
New York Red Bulls: 18 points (plus-3 goal difference)
New England Revolution: 18 points (plus-2 goal difference)
D.C. United: 14 points
Toronto FC: 13 points
Atlanta United: 11 points
CF Montréal: 7 points
In the overall league standings, which are used to crown the Supporters’ Shield winner (a trophy given to teams with the best regular-season performance), Miami sits 11th, trailing five teams from the East as well as all of the top five from the Western Conference. Philadelphia, Miami’s opponent in Saturday’s game, leads that table as well.
Inter Miami recent results: Messi, Herons struggling with form
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are on a poor run over the last month, a stretch that has seen the Herons tumble down the MLS standings and get eliminated from the Concacaf Champions Cup.
After starting the season with a 5W-0L-3D run in MLS play and advancing with little fuss through the round of 32 and round of 16 in the Champions Cup, things have started to unravel for Miami. While they did survive a Champions Cup quarterfinal against LAFC, it required a comeback from two goals down, and may have been an early signal that all was not well.
Since then, the Herons have gone 2W-5L-2D in all competitions while struggling on both sides of the ball. The Vancouver Whitecaps dumped them out of the Champions Cup by a 5-1 aggregate scoreline, while Miami has also suffered a 4-3 home loss to a middling FC Dallas side before being thumped 3-0 at Chase Stadium by their Florida rivals Orlando City. Over the last seven games, Miami’s goal difference is minus-8, with their foes averaging just shy of three goals per game over that span.
Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami betting odds
Philadelphia is the favorite to win at home (+120), while Inter Miami is a road underdog (+195) with higher odds for a draw (+260), according to BETMGM. The over/under is set at 2.5 goals in the match.
Messi to join Argentina before Club World Cup
Messi has been called up by defending World Cup champion Argentina for qualifying matches for the 2026 tournament. Argentina will visit Chile June 5, and host Colombia June 10.
Messi, Inter Miami upcoming schedule
May 24: Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET
May 28: Inter Miami vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m. ET
May 31: Inter Miami vs. Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m. ET
Messi, Inter Miami schedule for Club World Cup
June 14: Inter Miami vs. Al Alhy, 8 p.m. ET (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami)
June 19: Inter Miami vs FC Porto, 3 p.m. ET (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta)
June 23: Inter Miami vs. Palmerias, 9 p.m. ET (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami)