Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC: Projected lineups for Lionel Messi’s return to Chase Stadium in MLS
Inter Miami and Nashville SC square off Saturday in a high-stakes Eastern Conference clash in Major League Soccer. With Lionel Messi and company returning to Chase Stadium for the first time since late May, both sides are expected to come out strong in search of all three points.
The Herons have carried over their FIFA Club World Cup 2025 form into league play, earning back-to-back road wins—a dominant 4-1 victory over CF Montreal and a 2-1 result against the New England Revolution. Now sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference, Inter Miami are steadily climbing the table and remains in the hunt for the Supporters’ Shield.
Nashville, meanwhile, enter the match in excellent form. The Boys in Gold are unbeaten in their last 15 matches across MLS and the U.S. Open Cup. Just one point behind leaders FC Cincinnati, a win over Miami could push them to the top of both the conference and the overall league standings.
A historic Messi run
While Nashville are enjoying a stellar campaign, the return of Lionel Messi to Chase Stadium adds a new layer of difficulty to their challenge. The Argentine icon is riding a record-setting run of form in MLS, scoring at least two goals in four consecutive league matches—a feat no player in league history has accomplished before.
Messi netted a brace in the win against New England and has played the full 90 minutes in every Inter Miami game since early April. Despite a demanding schedule ahead, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner shows no signs of slowing down, making him the focal point of the Herons’ attack once again.
Projected lineups for Inter Miami and Nashville
Inter Miami’s projected lineups (4-4-2): Oscar Ustari; Marcelo Weigandt, Maximiliano Falcon, Tomas Aviles, Jordi Alba; Tadeo Allende, Sergio Busquets, Benjamin Cremaschi, Telasco Segovia; Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez.
Head coach: Javier Mascherano.
Nashville’s projected lineups (4-2-3-1): Joe Willis; Andy Najar, Jack Maher, Walker Zimmerman, Daniel Lovitz; Patrick Yazbek, Edvard Tagseth; Ahmed Qasem, Hany Mukhtar, Alex Muyl; Sam Surridge.
Head coach: Brian Callaghan.