Montreal vs Inter Miami – Lionel Messi and Co. Return to MLS after FIFA Club World Cup Exit

After being beaten from the FIFA Club World Cup (CWC), Inter Miami returns to Major League Soccer (MLS) promotion with a visit to CF Montreal on Saturday.

Miami (8-3-5, 29 points), which was eliminated from the CWC last week with a loss of 4-0 for Paris Saint-Germain, will play an MLS match for the first time since 31 May. It is the start of a busy piece before the side of South Florida, with seven games over the next 25 days, including four over the next 11.

Four of the following five games are on the road.

«It is clear that we have a lot of games, plus everyone we have already played, so we need everyone to participate,» said Miami coach Javier Mascherano. «We will see how we can manage a number of schedule changes without feeling too much, because I don’t like to change six or seven players from one match to another.»

Captain Lionel Messi will be one of the available if the club goes north of the border, but injuries will keep midfielders Yannick Bright and David Ruiz, as well as defender Gonzalo Lujan, out of operation. The trio has practiced separately on Friday and is expected to return soon.

Miami fell from the third to the seventh in the Eastern Conference while participating in the World Cup club and will try to continue where it had left in MLS action.

Also read: Will Lionel Messi stay in Inter Miami next season? FIFA World Cup winner in conversations for new contract

Miami went 2-1-2 in his last five MLS matches before the CWC, including two straight victories-from which one on 28 May came against Montreal.

«We are motivated against Montreal because we want to earn three points, and we want to be in the first place in the competition. We have many competitions this month and we want to win them all,» said Miami midfielder Telasco Segovia.

Montreal (3-12-5, 14 points) wants to build his first home win of the season after a 1-0 win against New York City FC last week. Midfielder Victor Loturi scored the only count.

It was Loturi’s second goal of the season, with his previous in Montreal’s loss against Miami on 28 May. He is one of only four players in the team with multiple goals, together with Prince Owusu (7), Giacomo Vrioni (3) and Dante Sealy (2).

Montreal has won two of the last three games, but the seasonal struggles for results have held it in the last place in the Eastern Conference.

«Even if the results have not been there, we have played no other way (in the losses) than the two victories,» said Montreal -midfielder Samuel Piette.