The regular phase of the MLS closes with the famous Decision Day. First, this Saturday at 7 p.m. in Argentina all the Eastern Conference games will be played simultaneously. And there will be the Inter Miami of Lionel Messi facing as a place the New England Revolution, who is second to last and with no chance of reaching the playoffs. Then, at 10 p.m., the last day of the West will be played. Everything can be seen live through the platform Apple TV.
The Florida team secured its classification for the next instance several times ago and won the Supporters Shield, a trophy that rewards the best team in this instance of the tournament, but this Saturday will not be just another match, since those led by Gerardo Martino They could break a historical record. They accumulate 71 points from 21 wins, 8 draws and 4 losses and are chasing the mark top from New England, precisely their next rival, who added 74 in 2021. Therefore, the only thing that counts is victory.
The impact generated by Messi’s arrival in Miami was noticeable in this 2024 season, the first that the Argentine star was able to play in full for his new club. He joined in the middle of last season, but even then those in pink managed to move away from the bottom of the table. Now things have changed. Leo remembered the old days in Barcelona with his friend Luis Suarez, also with Jordi Alba y Sergio Busquetsand together they led the Florida team to look down on everyone.
Behind the idea of Martino, another of the great people responsible for this uprising, they have accumulated 10 games without losing in the American league with seven wins and three draws. Their last defeat dates back to August 14: 3-2 against Columbus Crew in the round of 16 of the Leagues Cup. Meanwhile, New England has won just nine of its 34 games played in the league and is out of any fight.
Suárez, author of 18 goals this season, and Messi, who was absent for a long time due to a serious ankle injury who suffered in the final of the Copa América and scored 17, are far from the 23 of Christian Benteke (DC United), the tournament’s top scorer, but in any case they are the highest scoring duo in the competition. His 35 goals represent close to half (44.87%) of the 78 that Inter Miami scored in the tournament.
The Argentine, now with a better pace of play and with the momentum of the luxury performance he provided in the Argentine National Team’s win against Bolivia at the Monumental, wants to close the regular phase in style.