Silvetti: Winning titles is Inter Miami's main goal

Mateo Silvetti has claimed that winning titles is the primary aim among the Inter Miami squad, ahead of Saturday’s clash against Atlanta United.

With Lionel Messi away on international duty, Javier Mascherano will be looking to the likes of Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets to influence Miami’s approach in their penultimate league outing.

A 2-0 home loss to the Chicago Fire earlier this month effectively ended the Herons’ pursuit of the Supporters' Shield, which ultimately went to the Philadelphia Union.

However, with a game in hand and just three points separating them from FC Cincinnati, Mascherano’s men still have a strong chance to claim second place in the Eastern Conference.

Miami responded well to that setback, comfortably dispatching the New England Revolution 4-1 last weekend — their fourth win in six MLS games.

The recent head-to-head record between these sides is fairly balanced: two wins each from their last five meetings, with Atlanta triumphing in the corresponding fixture in Florida last season. Yet, Inter Miami have been formidable at home in 2025, losing only three of their 16 league matches on their own turf.

"I want to contribute to the maximum number of matches," said Silvetti.

"Hopefully, we will win titles, that's more important than anything for us as a group."

Atlanta, meanwhile, travel south having tallied just five wins in 32 matches. The Five Stripes sit 14th in the Eastern Conference and 28th overall — a far cry from their MLS Cup-winning heights in 2018.

Head coach Ronny Deila, appointed at the start of the season, has struggled to lift the club’s fortunes. Averaging only 0.86 points per game, his side’s defensive issues have been glaring — conceding 58 goals so far, with only DC United’s 65 being worse.

"We will do everything we can to have a good performance, for sure, and go there to do something," he said.

"We have to be trying to create more in the last third of the pitch. This is a good test for us and the players as well."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Inter Miami – Jordi Alba

Alba announced that he would be retiring from professional football at the end of the season, following his brace against the New England Revolution – the first time the decorated defender had scored multiple goals in his 449 league matches as a professional.

He is the fifth Miami player to record a multi-goal game this season, tying for the most players of any team in the league with the Whitecaps.

The former Spain international has chalked up an impressive 13 assists this term, the joint-fifth most in MLS this season, and the most of any defender.

Atlanta United – Jamal Thiare

Thiare has found the net three times in his three away appearances against Miami across all competitions, including a brace in his most recent visit during the 2024 MLS playoffs.

The only other Atlanta player to record a two-goal haul on the road against Miami is Saba Lobjanidze, who achieved the feat in May 2024.

MATCH PREDICTION: INTER MIAMI WIN

Miami have managed just two wins in their last seven encounters with Atlanta across all competitions (D1 L4), though the Herons did come out on top in their most recent meeting — a 2–1 away victory earlier this season.

The only time Miami have beaten Atlanta both home and away in the same season was back in 2020.

Miami’s 4–1 triumph over New England last week lifted their regular-season goal tally to 79 — the third-highest total in a single MLS season. Only the LA Galaxy in 1998 and Los Angeles FC in 2019 have scored more, with 85 apiece.

For Atlanta, attacking struggles on the road have been a consistent issue. The Five Stripes have netted multiple goals away from home just once all season — a 2–2 draw with FC Cincinnati.

Atlanta’s current run of 14 consecutive regular-season away matches without scoring more than once is the longest such streak in club history by a margin of eight games.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY:

Inter Miami – 67.2%

Draw – 18%

Atlanta United - 14.8%