CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP
Messi and Inter Miami know path in CONCACAF Champions Cup
On Wednesday the Florida franchise and others learned their route to destiny in the Champions Cup, although some will have to wait longer to get started.
Despite securing their ticket to the round of 16 in the CONCACAF Champions Cup early - after the Leagues Cup triumph - Inter Miami and star player Lionel Messi face a challenging path in the tournament set to commence in February 2024. Under the guidance of Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, they find themselves in the same bracket as top-tier clubs such as Rayados de Monterrey, Tigres UANL, FC Cincinnati, Columbus Crew, Nashville SC, to name just a few potential opponents they might encounter on their journey.
The CONCACAF Champions Cup draw went down on Wednesday evening.
The Champions Cup path of Inter Miami
With a free pass from the first round, the Herons will face the winner of the match between Nashville SC and Moca FC from the Dominican Republic in the round of 16. Therefore, there is the possibility of a rematch of the Leagues Cup final, where the Florida team needed a penalty shootout to overcome the Tennessee side.
Should they progress beyond the round of 16, Messi and his teammates are likely to have a tough quarterfinal. Potential opponents in this round include Monterrey, Comunicaciones, Cavalier from Canada or FC Cincinnati. Among these, the Mexican team and the Supporter’s Shield champions pose the most formidable challenges.
Houston Dynamo, Columbus Crew, Orlando City, and even Tigres could potentially face the World Cup champion in the semifinals.
Inter Miami will make its debut in the CONCACAF Champions Cup between March 5 and 7 in the first-leg match, while the second leg is scheduled between March 12 and 14.