Lionel Messi will once again be back on the trophy trail when his Inter Miami side hosts Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup on Wednesday.
Having failed to make it out of the Leagues Cup group stage and knocked out of the Concacaf Champions Cup in the last-16 by Nashville, the match at NU Stadium will give Messi another opportunity to avoid a rare season without lifting any silverware.
The Campeones Cup pits the MLS and Liga MX champions against each other, and while the one-off game is not officially recognised by Fifa or Concacaf as a major trophy, victory would be a welcome boost for both player and club.
On Sunday, Miami's hopes of gaining ground on Eastern Conference leaders Nashville suffered a blow when the top two sides played out a 2-2 draw in Florida, despite Messi scoring his 99th goal in 114 appearances for the club with a superb left-footed finish.
“God gave him this gift,” interim manager Guillermo Hoyos said of his captain, who tops the MLS scoring charts with 19 goals in 22 games. “He's a one of a kind player … he cannot be repeated.”
Miami looked on course to take all three points thanks to Messi's goal only for Sam Surridge to grab his second of the game in stoppage time and maintain Nashville's nine-point advantage at the top.
Miami's third successive draw means they are stuck in a rut, having won just once in nine games, albeit that victory was a 7-1 demolition of Montreal which saw Messi score four.
Incoming coach Cristian “Kily” Gonzalez should have already been in the Miami dugout but he can only officially start his reign once his work visa has been approved, which is taking longer than expected.
“They've found someone who, in my view, is the perfect fit, highly capable and truly able to help take the club to the level it deserves to reach. That is very clear,” insisted Hoyos after Gonzalez's appointment was announced. “When Kily arrives, we'll surely get together to talk and discuss things.” In the meantime, Miami remain in a state of flux.
For Messi, Wednesday's match (kick-off 4am Thursday in the UAE) is likely to be an emotional occasion as he attempts to lift his first trophy since the death of his father, Jorge, and subsequent retirement from international football.
It was against opponents Cruz Azul that Messi made his Miami debut, when he came off the bench to score a superb stoppage-time free-kick and earn his side victory in the Leagues Cup. The Herons went on to win that competition in 2023 – beating Nashville in the final on penalties – and secure a historic first trophy for the club just a month after Messi's arrival.
With the 2024 Supporters' Shield and 2025 MLS Cup also safely in the bag since, they must once again overcome the challenge of Cruz Azul to add the Campeones Cup to their haul.
But the Mexican title-holders will be a tough nut to crack, especially with the extra motivation of the match falling on the country's day of independence. Cruz Azul are currently fourth in Liga MX, two points behind leaders Guadalajara, and go into the Miami match buoyed by a thrilling 4-3 win over Mexico City rivals Club America in the 'Clasico Joven'.
Joel Huiqui’s side had surged into a 3-0 first-half lead at the Estadio Azteca and were 4-1 up going into the last minute until two late goals made it a nervy finale for La Maquina, who have now won three on the spin in their domestic league.
“Obviously, the ending got a bit messy,” said coach Huiqui after the match. “Look, the other team's got quality too but what matters is that we learn from this, realise we need to tighten up and stop making these kinds of mistakes.”
Cruz Azul sealed a 10th Mexican title in May by beating Pumas UNAM – another Mexico City club – 2-1 on aggregate thanks to Rodolfo Rotondi's dramatic stoppage-time winner, with then interim manager Huiqui having only been in charge for seven games.
“The championship feels like revenge, like a release,” said Messi's countryman Rotondi, who was left in tears after giving away the penalty that condemned Cruz Azul to defeat against Club America in the 2024 title match. “I was in the eye of the storm, but I bit my tongue, I didn’t make any statements ... and now it’s time to really enjoy this moment.”
In July, they then lifted the Campeon de Campeones (Mexico's Super Cup) – with Mexican Huiqui now a permanent appointment – as they swept aside Toluca 3-1 in California with Argentine midfielder Jose Paradela scoring twice.
At the heart of their derby win on Saturday was captain Erik Lira, who opened the scoring with a quality finish from just inside the penalty area, while also providing an assist for Gabriel Fernandez's fourth goal.
Cruz Azul president Victor Velazquez admitted recently that it was Lira's “dream to play in Europe” but the Mexican midfielder, 26, saw a transfer deadline-day move to French side Monaco collapse at the 11th hour.
For now, he remains a Cruz Azul player, much to his manager's delight. “What he brings to the team is just incredible, and seeing him celebrate like that, watching the fans go absolutely nuts for him, it's just awesome,” Huiqui told reporters.
“I hope he can achieve what he's dreaming of, but I want him to leave with a trophy. Let's win against Miami on Wednesday and then the league title, After that, who knows?”
