Inter Miami opens 2025 Leagues Cup campaign against Atlas on Wednesday

Miami Herald

3 days ago

The 2025 Leagues Cup kicks off Wednesday, and Inter Miami is ready to get to work.
A turbulent week saw both Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba pass on their invitations to the exhibition in Austin, triggering an automatic one-game club suspension under MLS rules, which bars players from their next league match if they miss the All-Star Game without prior approval. That sidelined both stars in Saturday's 0-0 draw against FC Cincinnati. The club was reportedly 'extremely upset' by the league's 'draconian' policy.
However, they managed to find a silver lining.
'They had some mandatory rest after many consecutive matches, so I think it ended up being a good thing,' Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. 'Now, starting this new marathon of games with the Leagues Cup and more MLS matches, they feel refreshed and ready.'
Both Messi and Alba were happily back on the pitch during Tuesday's training session, signaling they're ready for the next phase of a demanding summer.
Inter Miami now enters the Leagues Cup — a high-stakes tournament featuring all 18 Liga MX clubs and 18 qualifying MLS teams — with plenty to play for. A CONCACAF Champions Cup automatic bid awaits the winner, and with a packed schedule ahead, Miami knows the road will be tough.
'We know this is going to be a very high-level competition,' midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi said. 'We know it will be tough; we know we will have to compete, but we'll take every opportunity to get as far as we can.'
Under the tournament's revamped format, Miami will play three group-stage matches against Liga teams Atlas, Necaxa, and Pumas UNAM between Wednesday and August 7. But while it will face Mexican clubs on the pitch, Miami will compete in an MLS-only table, with only the top four MLS clubs across all groups advancing to the knockout stage.
'Tomorrow is going to be very important for us to start this tournament on the right note,' Mascherano said.
Should it advance, the team will enter a single-elimination bracket, where matchups are cross-league, seeded by group-stage performance.
Helping Miami's push is a major addition: midfielder Rodrigo De Paul joins on a four-year loan-to-buy deal from Atlético Madrid. A key figure on Argentina's national team alongside Messi, De Paul brings fast footwork and a well-established chemistry to the roster.
'[Having De Paul] speaks to the level the club is trying to achieve,' midfielder Tadeo Allende said. 'It motivates us to play alongside someone who's won at the highest level and to learn from him.'
Mascherano confirmed De Paul has yet to train with the full squad but said he's in 'great shape' and will be available as soon as paperwork clears.
First up for Inter Miami: a tough test against Atlas FC on Wednesday night at 7:30. Former Atlanta United manager Gonzalo Pineda now heads Atlas, and he has beaten Miami in two of their past three meetings. Pineda knows what his team is up against, and he's not backing down.
'Inter Miami is a very mature team, and there is an aura surrounding them,' Pineda said. 'To have so many stars on one team is something else, but once the referee blows the whistle, we'll just focus on taking the ball off their feet. Cutting them off is something this team can do very well.'
The atmosphere promises to be electric, with thousands of Atlas fans expected to travel from Guadalajara and across the U.S. to Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale
'Many of our fans can't make it to Mexico to see us, so we're bringing a little bit of Mexico to them here,' said Atlas captain Aldo Rocha. 'Giving them a win tomorrow would be something special — for them and for us.'