After a strong start to their continental campaign, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will begin the MLS regular season on Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., against a New York City FC side that could be faced with replacing its most influential player.

Messi scored a brilliant second-half goal to lift Miami to a 1-0 win at Sporting Kansas City in frigid conditions in Leg 1 of their CONCACAF Champions Cup first-round series on Wednesday night.

New Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano left the Midwest heartened by the attitude his team showed in rough conditions against an opponent that wasn’t expected to trouble the Herons.

“I’m very proud of my team because they gave me 100 percent intensity with a lot of attitude. We’re happy,” Mascherano said. “We’re in the halftime of this first round, and now we will try to rest after a very difficult game for us. Now, we’re thinking and looking forward to Saturday’s MLS season opener.”

Messi played the whole match and Luis Suarez went to minute 90 before making a late exit. Both look to be fully available for Saturday, and the Herons also could get influential fullback Jordi Alba back from a minor injury.

Meanwhile, first-year NYCFC manager Pascal Jansen hopes Costa Rican striker Alonso Martinez can build on his breakout 16-goal 2024 season.

However, New York City might be without influential playmaker Santi Rodriguez, who is widely reported to be heading to Brazil’s Botafogo for a transfer fee worth roughly $17 million. It is unclear if Rodriguez will participate for NYCFC on Saturday.

On the other side of the field, New York City’s attempts to shut down the dynamic Miami attack will be made trickier by the departure of defender James Sands, who moved to Germany’s St. Pauli in a loan deal on Jan. 1.

As far as coaching in MLS, Jansen knows he won’t find many tougher assignments than facing Messi, Suarez and the rest of Miami’s talented roster on the road.

“You have to be really careful where Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi are, because those are the guys that will make the difference,” Jansen said. “In the setup, as expected, Sergio Busquets is also very important. If Jordi Alba plays, he’s a very dominant figure on the left side.”

–Field Level Media