Inter Miami vs. Sporting KC: Projected lineup for Messi’s team in the CONCACAF Champions Cup

Inter Miami CF, fresh from their impressive 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 32 tie, will look to secure their progression to the next round when they face the same opponent on Tuesday. The match will be played at Children’s Mercy Park (often called Chase Stadium) in Kansas City, Kansas.

The first leg saw Lionel Messi score the only goal, and the match was noteworthy due to the extremely low temperatures. Inter Miami, under the guidance of Javier Mascherano, will be looking to advance against a Sporting KC side whose pre-season form has been less impressive.

Inter Miami arrives in Kansas City with a slight advantage and positive momentum. Their pre-season form has been largely encouraging, though their performance in their recent 2-2 draw against New York City in their MLS opener suggests some room for improvement.

Their pre-season campaign included draws with Club América and Orlando City, as well as victories over Universitario de Deportes, Sportivo San Miguelito, and Olimpia. The team will be hoping for a result that avoids extra time and penalties.

Sporting Kansas City arrives for this match having endured a challenging pre-season, characterized by mixed results, including losses to Chicago Fire and Charlotte FC, a draw against New York City, and a heavy defeat against Minnesota United. While their pre-season form may not inspire overwhelming confidence, they will be playing at home in front of their own fans and will be seeking to overturn the 1-0 deficit.

Predicted lineups for Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City

Inter Miami’s Likely Starting XI: Oscar Ustari; Marcelo Weigandt, Gonzalo Lujan, David Martínez, Jordi Alba; Sergio Busquets, Federico Redondo, Tadeo Allende, Benjamín Cremaschi; Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez. Manager: Javier Mascherano.

Sporting KC’s Likely Starting XI: John Pulskamp; Jan Jurcec, Jansen Miller, Robert Voloder, Tim Leibold; Jacob Bartlett, Nemanja Radoja, Memo Rodriguez; Stephen Afrifa, Dejan Joveljic, Daniel Salloi. Manager: Peter Vermes.

This Concacaf Champions Cup match carries significant weight for Inter Miami. A victory or even a draw would send them through to the next round of the tournament. This match represents a crucial step towards their wider ambitions this season, including a strong MLS campaign and potential progress in the other competitions they participate in. Should they advance, they would face Cavalier SC, Jamaica’s best club, in the Round of 16.