Inter Miami face a tall task as they host Liga MX giants Monterrey in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal matchup at home on Wednesday.
There was thought to be good news as Lionel Messi was expected to return from injury, having missed the last two weeks with a muscle problem. Yet Inter Miami eventually decided to play it safe and keep Messi out one more game, as overuse has been a major thorn in the 37-year-old's side both last season and the current campaign.
Even with Messi back, it would have been a major challenge for Inter Miami to progress. Monterrey sit second in the Liga MX Clausura standings, having collected 28 points from 13 matches, level with leaders Club America and only behind by a single goal on differential.
The combination of offseason acquisitions Sergio Canales, a former Real Betis playmaker, and Brandon Vazquez, a U.S. international, has been prolific up front. Canales has eight goals and two assists in 19 matches since linking up last summer, while Vazquez has eight goals of his own despite just joining three months ago.
Monterrey are absolutely bursting at the seams with talent, and their fully fit squad is a stark contrast to the walking wounded Inter Miami roster which has been decimated by injuries. You have to wonder if Tata Martino is cursing the taxing preseason.
FOLLOW LIVE: Updates, commentary, highlights, and more as Inter Miami take on Monterrey
Inter Miami vs Monterrey live stream, TV channel
| TV channel | Streaming | |
| USA | FS1, TUDN | Fubo USA, Fox Sports GO, TUDN app |
| UK | — | CONCACAF GO |
| Australia | — | CONCACAF GO |
| Canada | OneSoccer | Fubo Canada |
| India | — | FanCode |
USA: Fox Sports own the broadcast rights in the United States for the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and have placed this match on TV channel FS1. Additionally, a Spanish-language broadcast can be found on TUDN. Both channels are available to stream on Fubo USA, with a FREE trial available for new users.
Canada: OneSoccer has the broadcast rights to the CONCACAF Champions Cup in Canada, which is available to stream on Fubo Canada.
India: In India, the CONCACAF Champions Cup can be streamed on FanCode, including this match between Inter Miami and Monterrey.
International: In territories where CONCACAF has not sold broadcast rights for the competition to a particular partner, CCC games can be accessed on the federation's official streaming platform CONCACAF GO. This includes in England, Australia, and other nations around the world.
What time is Inter Miami vs Monterrey kickoff?
This CONCACAF Champions Cup match kicks off from Chase Stadium on Wednesday, April 3 at 8 p.m. local time in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Here's how that time translates across all of the time zones across North America:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Wed, Apr. 3 | 8 p.m. |
| Central Time | Wed, Apr. 3 | 7 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Wed, Apr. 3 | 6 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Wed, Apr. 3 | 5 p.m. |
| Alaska ST | Wed, Apr. 3 | 4 p.m. |
| Hawaii ST | Wed, Apr. 3 | 3 p.m. |
In the UK that's a 1 a.m. kickoff on Thursday, April 4, India (5:30 a.m.) and Australia 11 a.m. AEDT.
Inter Miami vs Monterrey lineups & team news
Lionel Messi was reportedly targeting this match for a return after missing multiple weeks with an injury, but instead he will not take part, as the club doesn't wish to risk re-injury. Messi is far from the only injury concern in this ravaged Inter Miami squad.
Midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi is down for another few weeks after hernia surgery before the season began, and Facundo Farias will miss the season after tearing his ACL in preseason. Those players have been out since the start of the campaign, but there are recent injuries that have caused further strain.
New signing Federico Redondo went down recently with a meniscus tear in his knee and will miss two months, while aging defender Serhiy Kryvtsov suffered a hamstring injury and is out for a few weeks. Kryvstov was only seeing the field thanks to a hamstring injury to Nicolas Freire, who returns to the back line in this match.
The absentee list is so bad that Sergio Busquets had to play center-back in their draw with NYCFC last weekend, but Tomas Aviles played 25 minutes off the bench in that game and is fit to start here.
Inter Miami starting lineup (4-3-3): Callender (GK) — Weigandt, Aviles, Freire, Alba — Busquets, D. Ruiz, D. Gomez — Gressel, Suarez, Taylor.
Mexican internationals Luis Romo, Jesus Gallardo, and Gerardo Arteaga are the pillars in this squad, and they added significant talent in the offseason with the arrivals of Jorge Rodriguez from Estudiantes, Sergio Canales from Real Betis, and Brandon Vazquez from FC Cincinnati.
Along with fringe Mexico international Erick Aguirre and retired El Tri veteran Hector Moreno, this team is bursting with talent to the point where head coach Fernando Ortiz is finding it difficult to fit everyone in. Vazquez is forced to split time with Argentine striker German Berterame up front, especially as fitting both Rodriguez and Romo in the midfield often means sacrificing an attacker.
Interestingly, it's Victor Guzman and 36-year-old Hector Moreno who start at center-back for the Rayados, with regular Sebastian Vegas rested.
Monterrey starting lineup (4-4-2): Andrada (GK) — Aguirre, Guzman, Moreno, Arteaga — Romo, Rodriguez — Meza, Canales, Gallardo — Vazquez.
Inter Miami vs Monterrey prediction
- Score prediction: Inter Miami 1-3 Monterrey
The taxing preseason tour has finally come home to roost for Inter Miami, and their patchwork squad decimated by injuries pales in comparison to Monterrey's talented and fully fit side.
With Lionel Messi on the field anything can happen, but there's no guarantee he starts, and even if he does see the pitch, it will be a monumental task for Inter Miami to keep up with a side that is, quite simply, better in every single department.
If they don't see the two-legged matchup gone in this first leg, the trip to Mexico will be a rude awakening.
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