Preview: Inter Miami return to MLS action at Montreal
Inter Miami return to Major League Soccer action with a trip to Canada on Saturday night following their exploits at the Club World Cup and will be looking to get back into the groove of domestic play.
By James Nalton
Their first game back is against a CF Montréal team currently sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, but while it might seem a way for Inter Miami to ease their way back into league play, things are not always that straightforward with this team.
Playing catch-up
MLS has continued during the Club World Cup, which means Inter Miami resume their regular season schedule with four games in hand on those at the top of the table.
Having topped the overall standings in record-breaking fashion last season to claim the Supporters’ Shield, they currently sit 11 points behind a Philadelphia Union side who lead the Eastern Conference and the overall standings with just over half the season played.
If Inter Miami win all four of their games in hand, there are enough points available for them to overtake the Union as it stands, but there’s a lot of football to be played before those games are recovered, and the wins are not guaranteed with this team.
Four of Inter Miami’s six games before the start of the Leagues Cup are away from home, so this season could soon turn into a slog.
Club World Cup standouts
Goalkeeper Oscar Ustari was a big reason for Inter Miami’s progress out of their group at the Club World Cup, which says a lot about the unfavourable situations they found themselves in during games.
Ustari was named Man of the Match, or Superior Player of the Match as it is known at the Club World Cup, against Al Ahly, saving a penalty and making eight saves in total to help his team hold on to a 0-0 draw.
Despite conceding four against Paris Saint-Germain, Ustari was still the team’s highest-rated player on 7.5.
It shows that Inter Miami are still far from a solid team despite boasting players like Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, who can win games on their own.
This has been evident in MLS, and it was on show again in this international tournament.
It now feels like the kind of dynamic that will stick with Javier Mascherano’s side for the rest of the season.
Resurgent opposition
CF Montréal have only won three of the 20 games they have played so far in the 2025 MLS season, but two of those victories have come in their last three matches.
They won at Houston Dynamo before defeating New York City FC at home with a defeat to FC Cincinnati in the middle.
They’ll now be hoping to capitalise on some post-Club World Cup sluggishness from Inter Miami.
Inter Miami themselves might look at this as a good way to ease back into MLS play by facing the team sitting second from bottom in the overall standings, but Montréal have shown in recent games that they’re capable of causing upsets.
Prediction
We still don’t know how the expanded Club World Cup will affect the teams who took part, but Montréal might see a chance to take advantage of an Inter Miami post-tournament hangover. Maybe the Canadiens can secure back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
(Cover Image from IMAGO)
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