Inter Miami vs. New York City FC: Confirmed lineups for Lionel Messi’s first MLS Eastern Conference final
Inter Miami will be hosting New York City FC on Saturday evening at Chase Stadium in the MLS Eastern Conference Final. With a place in the MLS Cup on the line, superstar Lionel Messi will look to secure his first trophy in the 2025 season.
The Herons enter the matchup with momentum after edging Nashville SC in a 2-1 series and rolling to a commanding 4-0 road win over FC Cincinnati in the semifinals, a match in which Messi delivered a goal and three assists. After finishing third in the regular season, Inter Miami will enjoy home-field advantage at Chase Stadium as they aim to reach the first MLS Cup Final in club history.
New York City, meanwhile, booked their spot by stunning Supporters’ Shield winners Philadelphia Union in a 1-0 away win, with Maximiliano Moralez providing the deciding goal. With a head-to-head record of eight wins, four draws and just two losses against Miami, the Boys in Blue will look to extend their strong run against the Herons.
Pascal Jansen and a ‘bulletproof’ mindset vs. Inter Miami
Since Lionel Messi arrived in Miami in 2023, the Herons have remained unbeaten against NYCFC with four draws and a win, the latter coming in their most recent meeting. Still, head coach Pascal Jansen remains confident in the “bulletproof” mindset he has instilled in his squad: “You focus on your own job, your responsibilities, and always stay true to your identity. No matter who you play.”
Speaking with ESPN, the NYCFC coach acknowledged the challenge ahead but emphasized his team’s readiness. “If you focus on Miami, we’ve played them twice,” he said, referring to his MLS debut that ended in a 2–2 draw and the subsequent 4–0 defeat. “Those lessons in those two games have been massive for us in order to evolve ourselves going forward as a team in the league, but also in particular going into game number three,” he added.
“Now with a few changes again on Miami’s side and the growth that we’ve shown throughout the season, we will be able to have a better matchup than we did in game number one and two,” Jansen concluded. Across those two meetings, Miami scored six goals, with Messi directly involved in five, yet the Dutch manager believes his team’s improvement over recent months gives them a real chance to claim a win in the third encounter.
Confirmed lineups for Inter Miami and New York City FC
Inter Miami’s confirmed lineups (4-3-3): Rocco Ríos Novo; Marcelo Weigandt, Maximiliano Falcón, Noah Allen, Jordi Alba; Rodrigo De Paul, Sergio Busquets, Baltasar Rodríguez; Lionel Messi, Tadeo Allende, Mateo Silvetti.
Head coach: Javier Mascherano.
New York City FC’s confirmed lineups (5-4-1): Matthew Freese; Tayvon Gray, Thiago Martins, Justin Haak, Raul Gustavo, Kevin O’Toole; Agustin Ojeda, Jonathan Shore, Aiden O’Neill, Maximiliano Moralez; Nicolas Fernandez Mercau.
Head coach: Pascal Jansen.