What are the odds on Inter Miami winning 2023 Leagues Cup? Betting and predictions

Inter Miami may be rock bottom of Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference, but Lionel Messi’s arrival in Florida has catapulted the franchise up the list of the favourites to win the expanded Leagues Cup, which begins this week.

Miami, who completed the signing of Messi at the weekend, begin their 2023 Leagues Cup campaign against Liga MX club Cruz Azul on Friday.

Inter Miami haven’t won in MLS for over two months

The Herons head into the inter-league tournament on a run of 11 MLS games without a win, having so far failed to recover from a poor start to the season that led to Phil Neville’s sacking as head coach at the start of June. Miami’s most recent MLS victory was in mid-May.

However, having added a seven-time Ballon d’Or to their ranks - and brought in Messi’s long-time former Barcelona team-mate, Sergio Busquets - Miami have now been installed as joint-third favourites to lift the Leagues Cup. That’s according to the latest odds collected by MLS ahead of the competition, which now includes every team in the North American and Mexican top flights.

Miami the Leagues Cup’s second-highest rated MLS team

Per the betting figures published by MLS on Sunday - the day Miami unveiled Messi at a packed DRV PNK Stadium - the franchise is tied with Monterrey and defending Mexican champions Tigres on +1200.

Only Club América (+900) and 2022 MLS winners Los Angeles FC (+1100) have been given shorter odds of success.

At the other end of the spectrum, Mazatlán are considered the side least likely to win the Leagues Cup, having been handed odds of +12500. Los Cañoneros finished bottom of the regular-season standings in the Liga MX’s Clausura 2023 tournament, and are winless so far in the Apertura 2023.

Messi, Busquets set for Inter Miami bows - Martino

Neville’s replacement as Inter Miami boss, former Barça and Argentina head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, has said he expects Messi and Busquets to make their debuts against Cruz Azul - albeit they may begin on the bench. “Messi and Busquets are going to play on Friday,” Martino told an interview with the Argentinian media outlet TyC Sports on Wednesday. “I don’t know whether or not they’ll start.”

Miami are also set to sign ex-Barça left-back Jordi Alba, while a fourth former Camp Nou star - Luis Suárez - is being linked with the franchise. Alba is due to arrive in Florida “in the coming days”, Martino revealed to TyC.

Cruz Azul vs Inter Miami: key info

On matchday one of the 2023 Leagues Cup, Inter Miami take on Cruz Azul in a Group South 3 clash on Friday 21 July 2023, with kick-off at DRV PNK Stadium scheduled for 8pm ET/5pm PT.

You'll be able to stream the game live online on the Apple TV subscription service MLS Season Pass.

In the US, the TV channels TUDN USA and Univisión will also be showing Cruz Azul vs Inter Miami.

Video - Beckham falls over on his way to welcome Messi: