Lionel Messi takes Inter Miami to 2023 Leagues Cup final: opponents, date, kick-off time, venue…

Lionel Messi’s fairytale start as an Inter Miami player shows no signs of coming to an end anytime soon. The Argentina captain’s latest masterclass in a pink jersey came in Tuesday’s Leagues Cup semi-final victory away to Philadelphia Union, hugely impressive not only because of the 4-1 scoreline but also because Jim Curtin’s side had lost only one of their previous 39 games at Subaru Park.

The Barcelona legend scored the second of The Herons’ four goals and again stole the headlines after breaking yet another personal record. And he has also helped his team make history, leading them to their first ever final, just a matter of weeks after officially joining.

Watch the 2023 Leagues Cup final on AppleTV (free trial available)

Inter Miami’s MLS struggles

When Messi signed up with the Florida side, it’s fair to say they were not in great shape. In fact, they still aren’t as far as Major League Soccer is concerned, as they haven’t played a league match since the Argentine arrived at DRV PNK Stadium.

Once the Leagues Cup is over, they will resume their MLS campaign bottom of both the Eastern Conference and the overall standings after winning just five of their first 22 games in the competition. That’s the same number they have won since Messi’s debut in the Leagues Cup on 21 July, since when they have played only six matches.

Messi’s instant Leagues Cup impact

The 36-year-old has taken the competition by storm from day one, scoring a match-winning free-kick in injury time against Cruz Azul in his first Inter Miami appearance. He then netted doubles in three games in a row against Atlanta United, Orlando City and Dallas FC, also scoring in a penalty shootout against the latter, the only team who haven’t lost to The Herons in 90 minutes.

Further strikes against Charlotte FC and The Union mean Messi has scored nine times in six games, while the Florida side have found the net 19 times in their last five fixtures (21 in Messi’s six). They’ve only scored 22 in 22 MLS games this season.

Inter Miami face Nashville in 2023 Leagues Cup final: where and when is it?

The resounding victory at one of the toughest venues in the United States will give Inter Miami huge confidence that their name is on the Leagues Cup trophy, although they’ll again be on the road for the final against Nashville SC. According to tournament regulations, when MLS teams are drawn to face each other in the competition, the one who finished higher in the 2022 Supporters’ Shield standings hosts the game (the only exception was the Round of 32 stage).

As Nashville finished in ninth spot last season and The Herons were 12th, the final will be played at Geodis Park in Tennessee. The last meeting between the teams there came in May, with The Boys In Gold winning by two goals to one.

The match will be played on Saturday 19 August, with kick-off at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.