Already assured of their places in the postseason playoffs, Inter Miami and Charlotte FC meet at Nu Stadium to conclude the MLS regular season.

Three places separate the teams in the Eastern Conference, although Lionel Messi and his teammates arrive in poorer recent form, winning once in three matches while Charlotte have claimed consecutive 4-0 victories.

Match preview

Maintaining motivation with little at stake after securing their playoff place was always likely to prove challenging, and Kily Gonzalez's men have unsurprisingly produced mixed results.

Since securing their spot with a 2-0 victory over New York City FC in mid-October, the Herons have collected maximum points only twice.

Those victories came either side of a 2-0 defeat at New York Red Bulls, while they also drew 2-2 with FC Cincinnati after initially leading on the hour before entering second-half stoppage time behind.

Messi was instrumental in last weekend's comeback victory, with the Argentine scoring in the 83rd minute to prevent Miami from going three matches without a win.

While they cannot finish atop the Eastern Conference, with Gonzalez's men trailing Nashville SC by 15 points, they could still lose second place to New England Revolution, who sit just two points behind.

Dean Smith's side are fifth in the Eastern Conference, but the Crown can finish no higher than fourth and no lower than their current position.

The North Carolina outfit have done commendably to put themselves within reach of matching last year's fourth-placed regular-season finish, an outcome that remains possible if they beat Inter Miami and Chicago Fire slip up at home to Columbus Crew.

Successive 4-0 victories over CF Montreal and Orlando City followed a three-match winless sequence that included two defeats, giving the Crown much-needed momentum ahead of this encounter and, more importantly, the postseason playoffs.

Having suffered a first-round exit around 12 months ago, Charlotte have done admirably to regain momentum with those recent victories, which they hope will provide the springboard for a sustained surge beginning at Nu Stadium.

Inter Miami Major League Soccer form:

Charlotte FC Major League Soccer form:

Team News

Tadeo Allende, Ericio Caicedo (knee) and Mateo Silvetti are unavailable for Gonzalez, who otherwise has a relatively healthy squad for this weekend's match.

Messi's goal and assist ended a two-match spell without a direct goal involvement, taking the legendary 2022 World Cup winner to 39 contributions in 2026.

Luis Suarez and German Berterame have scored 16 and 10 goals respectively, while Rodrigo De Paul's creativity is underlined by an assist tally just three short of Messi's.

Allan Saint-Maximin will miss Charlotte's trip to Miami after being sent off against Orlando City last time out, depriving the Crown of a player who registered four goal involvements across his previous seven MLS appearances.

In his absence, Idan Toklomati remains the visitors' leading attacking threat, having scored four times in his last five appearances to reach 15 MLS goals, two more than Pep Biel's 13.

Smith also has several absentees, with Nimfasha Berchimas, Will Cleary (illness), Archie Goodwin, Aron John and Tim Ream sidelined; David Schnegg and Ashley Westwood are each one caution away from a one-match suspension.

Inter Miami possible starting lineup:

St. Clair; Lujan, Casemiro, Micael, Reguilon; De Paul, Ayala, Galarza; Messi, Suarez, Berterame

Charlotte FC possible starting lineup:

Kahlina; Byrne, Agyemang, Kessler, Toffolo; Westwood, Diani; Akoko, Biel, Abada; Toklomati

We say: Inter Miami 2-2 Charlotte FC

Miami's recent inconsistency makes them difficult to trust against a Smith's side who have scored eight unanswered goals across their last two matches.

Toklomati and Biel have enough quality to expose the hosts' defensive shortcomings, but Messi and Suarez should ensure that Charlotte are denied a third consecutive victory.

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