Lionel Messi is, as usual, the center of attention heading into every Inter Miami match. The Argentine forward is expected to start this Wednesday night at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, on Matchday 9 of Major League Soccer. There, the Herons will visit Real Salt Lake looking for their second consecutive victory.
Inter Miami are coming off a valuable win over Colorado Rapids last Saturday, thanks to a Messi brace, which helped them bounce back following the abrupt resignation of coach Javier Mascherano and the appointment of his — at least for now — interim replacement, Guillermo Hoyos.
With that result, the Herons now sit second in the Eastern Conference standings with 15 points, four behind leaders Nashville SC. Their opponents on Wednesday have performed even better so far, collecting 16 points despite having played one fewer match.
However, the stronger competitiveness of Western Conference teams at the start of the 2026 MLS season means Real Salt Lake are not yet among the top spots in the standings. They currently sit fifth, five points behind leaders Vancouver Whitecaps and San Jose Earthquakes.
Head Coach Guillermo Hoyos of Inter Miami CF talks to his players during a training session.
Projected lineup for Real Salt Lake
The Claret and Cobalt have lost just once this season — a 1-0 defeat to Vancouver in the opener — and have since put together a six-match unbeaten run, with five wins and one draw. That form is likely to lead coach Pablo Mastroeni to stick with most of his lineup.
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Real Salt Lake’s projected XI: Rafael Cabral; Zavler Gozo, DeAndre Yedlin, Justen Glad, Sam Junqua, Alexandros Katranis; Dominik Marczuk, Pablo Ruiz, Stijn Spierings, Diego Luna; Sergi Solans.
Projected lineup for Inter Miami
While the Herons are coming off a win over Colorado Rapids, their recent performances have not been entirely convincing. That, combined with several absences due to injuries and suspensions, will likely force Guillermo Hoyos to field a significantly different lineup.
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Inter Miami’s projected XI: Dayne St. Clair; Gonzalo Lujan, Maximiliano Falcon, Micael, Ian Fray; David Ruiz, Rodrigo De Paul; Tadeo Allende, Lionel Messi, Telasco Segovia; German Berterame.
