It is onerous to be a prisoner of historical past in case you weren’t round for any of it.
has performed Inter Miami 12 occasions since got here to MLS in summer time 2023. The membership’s file in these video games: seven losses, 4 attracts and just one win.
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Defender Maxwell Woledzi received his first style of Inter Miami on March 11 within the first leg of the groups’ CONCACAF Champions Cup spherical of 16 collection, an . Whereas it is an out-of-the-ordinary end result within the collection’ bigger scope, it hardly felt like that to Woledzi, who signed with Nashville this offseason.
“I have been listening to loads about Miami and Nashville,” he stated. “If that is how we play all of the video games, they usually stated we solely gained one recreation, I am stunned. The way in which we play at present, I really feel prefer it should not be just one recreation. However what can we are saying? We’ve got to only construct it from now.”
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Finest pictures from Nashville SC vs Inter Miami, Lionel Messi in CONCACAF Champions Cup
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 11: German Berterame #19 of Inter Miami CF and Jeisson Palacios #4 of Nashville SC compete for the ball throughout the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2026 match between Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF at GEODIS Park on March 11, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Picture by Chris Carter/Getty Pictures)
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Finest pictures from Nashville SC vs Inter Miami, Lionel Messi in CONCACAF Champions Cup
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 11: German Berterame #19 of Inter Miami CF and Jeisson Palacios #4 of Nashville SC compete for the ball throughout the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2026 match between Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF at GEODIS Park on March 11, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Picture by Chris Carter/Getty Pictures)
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Finest pictures from Nashville SC vs Inter Miami, Lionel Messi in CONCACAF Champions Cup
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 11: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF enters the pitch previous to the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2026 match between Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF at GEODIS Park on March 11, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Picture by Chris Carter/Getty Pictures)
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Finest pictures from Nashville SC vs Inter Miami, Lionel Messi in CONCACAF Champions Cup
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 11: Hany Mukhtar #10 of Nashville SC leads the staff out previous to previous to the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2026 match between Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF at GEODIS Park on March 11, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Picture by Chris Carter/Getty Pictures)
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Finest pictures from Nashville SC vs Inter Miami, Lionel Messi in CONCACAF Champions Cup
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 11: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF enters the pitch previous to the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2026 match between Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF at GEODIS Park on March 11, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Picture by Chris Carter/Getty Pictures)
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Finest pictures from Nashville SC vs Inter Miami, Lionel Messi in CONCACAF Champions Cup
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 11: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF greets Andy Najar #31 of Nashville SC previous to the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2026 match between Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF at GEODIS Park on March 11, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Picture by Chris Carter/Getty Pictures)
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Finest pictures from Nashville SC vs Inter Miami, Lionel Messi in CONCACAF Champions Cup
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 11: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF warms up previous to the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2026 match between Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF at GEODIS Park on March 11, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Picture by Chris Carter/Getty Pictures)
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Finest pictures from Nashville SC vs Inter Miami, Lionel Messi in CONCACAF Champions Cup
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 11: Hany Mukhtar #10 of Nashville SC warms up previous to the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2026 match between Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF at GEODIS Park on March 11, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Picture by Chris Carter/Getty Pictures)
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Finest pictures from Nashville SC vs Inter Miami, Lionel Messi in CONCACAF Champions Cup
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 11: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF warms up previous to the CONCACAF Champions Cup 2026 match between Nashville SC and Inter Miami CF at GEODIS Park on March 11, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Picture by Chris Carter/Getty Pictures)
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Nashville SC and Inter Miami have now confronted off in 4 totally different competitions throughout the Messi period. All resulted in Miami wins: the 2023 Leagues Cup last, the 2024 Champions Cup spherical of 16 and the primary spherical of final season’s . The Herons are by far Nashville’s most frequent opponent throughout that stretch.
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However are the 2 golf equipment actually “rivals”? Miami defender Ian Fray, although in any other case complimentary, cited his staff’s file towards Nashville as proof on the contrary.
“We’ve crushed them loads, so by way of rivalry, I don’t know if that is the precise approach to put it,” Fray stated. “But it surely felt like a recreation. They’re at all times gonna carry the warmth, they usually’re a superb staff.”
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano, talking to reporters earlier than Leg 1, warned of Nashville having “blood of their eyes” and a “nice thirst for sporting revenge” after final season’s playoffs. Not like Fray, although, Mascherano was keen to make use of the phrase “rival.”
Talking afterward, Mascherano thought Nashville did not look a lot totally different from final season — he anticipated Nashville’s wingers with the ability to lower inside and and Hany Mukhtar enjoying as versatile strikers. With a lot familiarity between the groups, there are fewer deficiencies to take advantage of.
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“Typically when the sport finishes nil-nil, it’s as a result of each groups have been eager about the right way to disturb in assault to the opponent,” Mascherano stated. “We have been enjoying, within the final three months, 5 video games. Usually, you begin to know the place can I cease them, they usually know the right way to cease us.”
If competitiveness is a prerequisite for a real rivalry, Nashville-Miami is trending in that path. Nashville seemed just like the extra harmful staff for a lot of the first leg, outshooting Miami 15-8 and forcing goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair into 4 powerful saves. Mukhtar and Warren Madrigal each had open pictures from quick vary within the second half however missed the online. Messi had Miami’s solely shot on purpose, which Brian Schwake saved within the 57th minute.
“The gamers now we have are assured sufficient,” Woledzi stated. “The followers additionally made it clear to us that this recreation isn’t just a recreation. From the warmup, from after they got here in, from once we got here in, you can hear the roar, you can hear that everybody is prepared.”
Leg 2 is about for March 18 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ought to Nashville maintain that very same confidence and vitality away from dwelling, the standing of Nashville-Inter Miami as a rivalry will turn into loads more durable to dispute.
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