MLS
Inter Miami expected to confirm friendly against Argentine giants River Plate: when will it be played?
Lionel Messi is set to face his compatriots after River Plate chairman Jorge Brito attended the derby win over Orlando City.
Inter Miami are the talk of MLS following their 5-0 thrashing of Florida rivals Orlando City. Things are starting to click into place on the field for Lionel Messi’s Herons, whose quest to further grow their brand internationally looks set to see them face Argentine River Plate in a friendly game before too much longer.
When could Inter Miami vs River Plate be held?
Jorge Brito, the chairman of the Buenos Aires-based club, was spotted enjoying the “Clásico del Sol” at Chase Stadium on Saturday and, according to journalist Renzo Pantich, had a private meeting with Jorge Mas, co-owner of Inter Miami.
A meeting between the two teams was first mooted towards the end of 2023, with initial suggestions it would be held at the beginning of this year. However, Las Garzas were unable to squeeze it into their already hectic preseason schedule. According to Pantich, no date has been confirmed, but a match looks likely to be played “in the coming months,” most likely before the 2024 Copa América, which begins in the United States on 20 June.
Messi and Suárez lead Herons to top of Eastern Conference
Inter Miami have gone from strength to strength at the start of the 2024 MLS season. After a disappointing preseason, in which they won only one of seven games, head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino has managed to turn his team’s form around quickly.
The Herons are currently top of the Eastern Conference after taking seven points from their first three matches, with victories over Real Salt Lake and Orlando City coming either side of a 1-1 draw at LA Galaxy. Star men Messi and Luis Suárez have found form in front of goal, with the Argentine netting three times and the Uruguayan twice.
Expectations for the remainder of the season are, needless to say, very high. The Mas brothers and David Beckham have invested heavily in the roster, with the high-profile names of Messi, Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba joined by promising young talents such as Tomás Avilés, Diego Gómez, Facundo Farías and Federico Redondo.
The newly reunited “old guard” and the faces of the future know the pressure is on to deliver more silverware, which Miami have had a taste of following their 2023 Leagues Cup win.