Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will play their penultimate regular-season game of the 2023 Major League Soccer season when they welcome Charlotte FC to DRV PNK Stadium in midweek.
The two sides are separated by six points in the Eastern Conference standings, with second-bottom Inter Miami trailing 12th-placed Charlotte FC.
While Charlotte can still reach the top nine and book their place in the MLS Cup Playoffs, Inter Miami find themselves out of postseason contention.
Thanks largely to Lionel Messi’s impact, Inter Miami appeared to be making a late playoff surge, suffering only two defeats in 12 league outings between July and September.
Since then, however, the Herons have recorded back-to-back losses, enduring a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Chicago Fire before losing 1-0 to FC Cincinnati last time out.
In the Eastern Conference, only bottom club Toronto FC have recorded more defeats than Inter Miami this season, while only two sides have picked up fewer wins.
It is also worth noting that Inter Miami possess the second-worst defensive record in the East, having conceded 51 goals in 32 matches this term.
By contrast, Charlotte FC head into this clash on a two-game winning streak, having dispatched Toronto and Chicago without conceding a single goal.
When you look at the bigger picture, Charlotte have lost just two of their previous nine Major League Soccer encounters.
Interestingly, only New York City FC have recorded more draws than Charlotte’s 12 in the Eastern Conference this season, underlining their inconsistency.
Still, Charlotte find themselves one point shy of the top nine with two games remaining, meaning they could feature in the postseason if they continue their hot streak.
Head-to-head: These two sides have faced each other three times since Charlotte joined the league in 2022, with Inter Miami winning on two occasions.
After defeating Charlotte 3-2 in MLS last year, the Herons thrashed them 4-0 in the Leagues Cup back in August, with Lionel Messi getting on the scoresheet.
Team news: Inter Miami’s injury list contains Ian Fray, Gregore, Franco Negri, Corentin Jean, Diego Gomez and Leonardo Campana.
As for Charlotte, Vinicius Mello is absent due to a leg injury, while Ben Bender is expected to miss the trip to Florida with a knee problem.
Although Charlotte are battling for a place in the playoffs, Inter Miami won’t go down without a fight, especially in front of their own fans at DRV PNK Stadium.
Forebet predicts that Inter Miami and Charlotte FC will combine for over 5.5 goals, with the Herons edging their visitors in a high-scoring thriller.
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