Can InterMiami Slay Their Playoff Demons?

Over the past two years, Inter Miami have achieved quite a lot of stunning accomplishments. They’ve reached two Leagues Cup Finals, winning the first edition in 2023, they’ve become the first North American team to beat a European team in official competition after defeating Porto in the FIFA Club World Cup, and they’ve also won the Supporters’ Shield. But there is one thing that they have yet to check off their bucket list: win an MLS Cup.

After failing to reach the postseason in their first two seasons, Miami would finally qualify for the first time in 2022 after finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference, only to be trounced by defending champions New York City FC in the first round. Bolstered by the midseason arrivals of ex-Barcelona legends Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, as well as ex-Barcelona coach Tata Martino, Miami reached the Leagues Cup Final and U.S. Open Cup Final, but they failed to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs after placing 14th in the table. The 2024 season would see Miami finish with the best regular season record in MLS history with a whopping 74 points and take home the Supporters’ Shield.

Miami looked set to advance to the second round for the first time after defeating Atlanta United 2-1 in the first leg, before taking the lead within 40 minutes in their trip to Georgia. Atlanta, who had finished 34 points behind them, would equalize at the hour-mark before securing a 94th-minute winner via Xande Silva, avoiding a penalty shootout by a razor-thin margin. They returned to South Florida, where, despite taking an early lead via Matias Rojas, they would concede two quickfire goals to Jamal Thiare, with Atlanta leading for 50 minutes until Messi tied things up for the hosts. However, the Five Stripes would quickly restore their lead via Bartosz Slisz and hold on for a 3-2 victory, securing their spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Miami, meanwhile, were left wanting more.

The Herons underwent a coaching change with Javier Mascherano replacing his compatriot Martino and reuniting with Busquets, Alba and Luis Suarez, all of whom had played alongside him at Barcelona, and Messi, who had suited up for him with Barcelona and Argentina. So far, it’s been a so-so season for Mascherano in his first-ever experiment with club soccer, with the Herons making deep runs in the Leagues Cup and Club World Cup but failing to secure any silverware at all. If they are to avoid a first trophyless season since 2022, they’ll need to secure the most important trophy of the lot – the MLS Cup.

After closing out August with a stalemate at D.C. United, a comeback win against Orlando in the Leagues Cup semifinal, and a defeat at Seattle in the Leagues Cup Final, Miami would suffer a second-straight 3-0 loss, this time in Charlotte, before stringing together three straight victories. However, they came undone in their final two matches of September, drawing at Toronto and losing to Chicago, thereby relinquishing their ambitions of winning a second-straight Supporters’ Shield and handing the title to Philadelphia Union.

If anything, it seems that this failure has merely served to take the weight off Miami’s shoulders and allow them to breathe easier. After opening October with a 4-1 win vs. New England and a 4-0 win vs. Atlanta, Miami closed out the regular season with a 5-2 win in Nashville, with a hat-trick from Messi seeing him edge Sam Surridge and Denis Bouanga to the Golden Boot as well as the MLS MVP award. As a result, Miami finished third in the standings, setting up a first-round clash with Nashville. Messi broke the deadlock early on, Tadeo Allende doubled their advantage at the hour-mark, whilst Messi put the seal on their 3-1 victory in extra time. Busquets ran the show throughout, completing 67 out of 76 passes, making 10 recoveries, winning 6 out of 9 ground duels, and completing 3 out of 5 tackles, as well as 2 clearances, proving why he is still one of the greatest defensive midfielders in the game alongside the likes of Rodri, Diadie Samassekou, and Aurelien Tchouameni.

Both Busquets and Alba will be looking to ensure that Saturday’s match at GEODIS Park isn’t the last away trip of their professional career, and the odds are in their favor to do so. Miami have won each of their last six matches vs. Nashville, a run dating back to March 2024. Can they continue that winning pattern and reach uncharted territory in the postseason? Stay tuned for what promises to be an enthralling showdown in Tennessee.