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Preview: Inter Miami vs. Nashville, the decider

Preview: Inter Miami vs. Nashville, the decider

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Inter Miami continue their quest for the MLS Cup, but have been taken to a game-three decider by Nashville SC in the first round.

By James Nalton

Having suffered a shock exit at this stage of the playoffs last year, losing a game-three against Atlanta United, they would not have wanted to be in this situation once again in 2025.

After failing to win any of the other competitions they entered this season, everything is on the line for Javier Mascherano’s side as they return to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night.

MLS 2025 Award winners

All of MLS’s individual award winners, bar the MVP, are now known.

Lionel Messi’s presence as the only Inter Miami player to feature anywhere in these shows how reliant they have been on the Argentine star in 2025.

MLS releases the voting results for the top three for each award, and there were no Inter Miami names among them, while Messi was their lone representative in the league’s best XI.

The full list of award winners so far is below:

Defender of the Year – Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps)

Goalkeeper of the Year – Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United)

Coach of the Year – Bradley Carnell (Philadelphia Union)

Young Player of the Year – Alex Freeman (Orlando City)

Newcomer of the Year – Anders Dreyer (San Diego)

Comeback Player of the Year – Nick Hagglund (Cincinnati)

Messi has already claimed the Golden Boot award as the league’s top scorer with 29 goals, and should be a shoo-in for the MVP award, but these results show that Inter Miami’s continued participation in the playoffs will depend heavily on how well Messi performs.

Luis Suárez suspended

It might come as no surprise that Luis Suárez has once again found himself suspended for violent conduct. 

On this occasion, he aimed a studs-up kick at Andy Nájar during the 2-1 defeat at Nashville’s Geodis Park last weekend, and didn’t miss.

The incident was not picked up on by the referee or the VAR at the time, but MLS has retrospectively fined Suárez and banned him for one game.

Inter Miami released a strongly worded statement, commenting that: “Inter Miami CF accepts and respects the decision made by the MLS Disciplinary Committee.

“At the same time, the club wishes to express its concern about the precedent set by re-refereeing a play that had already been judged by the match officials and VAR, and its confidence that the same standard will be applied in the future to all on-field situations, in any match and involving any team.”

Opposition watch: Nashville SC

This will be the final edition of Nashville SC watch in 2025, which has become a regular column in Inter Miami coverage thanks to the frequency with which the two teams have met.

It will be the 19th matchup between Nashville and Inter Miami, as the team from Tennessee join Atlanta United as the opponents to have faced Inter Miami the most since they arrived in MLS in 2020.

Nashville created several good chances in game two of this playoff series as they ran out 2-1 winners, only conceding when Lionel Messi scored in the 90th minute.

Striker Sam Surridge had every reason to expect inclusion in the 2025 MLS best XI, having scored 25 goals this season, but didn’t feature — something that may motivate him and his teammates to prove a point this weekend.

Prediction

Inter Miami should get the job done at home, but Nashville will be encouraged by the favourites’ shock defeat to Atlanta at this stage last season.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every MLS game live this season with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Preview: Inter Miami vs. Nashville, the decider

Inter Miami continue their quest for the MLS Cup, but have been taken to a game-three decider by Nashville SC in the first round.

By James Nalton

Having suffered a shock exit at this stage of the playoffs last year, losing a game-three against Atlanta United, they would not have wanted to be in this situation once again in 2025.

After failing to win any of the other competitions they entered this season, everything is on the line for Javier Mascherano’s side as they return to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night.

MLS 2025 Award winners

All of MLS’s individual award winners, bar the MVP, are now known.

Lionel Messi’s presence as the only Inter Miami player to feature anywhere in these shows how reliant they have been on the Argentine star in 2025.

MLS releases the voting results for the top three for each award, and there were no Inter Miami names among them, while Messi was their lone representative in the league’s best XI.

The full list of award winners so far is below:

Defender of the Year – Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps)

Goalkeeper of the Year – Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United)

Coach of the Year – Bradley Carnell (Philadelphia Union)

Young Player of the Year – Alex Freeman (Orlando City)

Newcomer of the Year – Anders Dreyer (San Diego)

Comeback Player of the Year – Nick Hagglund (Cincinnati)

Messi has already claimed the Golden Boot award as the league’s top scorer with 29 goals, and should be a shoo-in for the MVP award, but these results show that Inter Miami’s continued participation in the playoffs will depend heavily on how well Messi performs.

Luis Suárez suspended

It might come as no surprise that Luis Suárez has once again found himself suspended for violent conduct. 

On this occasion, he aimed a studs-up kick at Andy Nájar during the 2-1 defeat at Nashville’s Geodis Park last weekend, and didn’t miss.

The incident was not picked up on by the referee or the VAR at the time, but MLS has retrospectively fined Suárez and banned him for one game.

Inter Miami released a strongly worded statement, commenting that: “Inter Miami CF accepts and respects the decision made by the MLS Disciplinary Committee.

“At the same time, the club wishes to express its concern about the precedent set by re-refereeing a play that had already been judged by the match officials and VAR, and its confidence that the same standard will be applied in the future to all on-field situations, in any match and involving any team.”

Opposition watch: Nashville SC

This will be the final edition of Nashville SC watch in 2025, which has become a regular column in Inter Miami coverage thanks to the frequency with which the two teams have met.

It will be the 19th matchup between Nashville and Inter Miami, as the team from Tennessee join Atlanta United as the opponents to have faced Inter Miami the most since they arrived in MLS in 2020.

Nashville created several good chances in game two of this playoff series as they ran out 2-1 winners, only conceding when Lionel Messi scored in the 90th minute.

Striker Sam Surridge had every reason to expect inclusion in the 2025 MLS best XI, having scored 25 goals this season, but didn’t feature — something that may motivate him and his teammates to prove a point this weekend.

Prediction

Inter Miami should get the job done at home, but Nashville will be encouraged by the favourites’ shock defeat to Atlanta at this stage last season.

(Cover Image from IMAGO)

You can follow every MLS game live this season with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.