Inter Miami CF take on their first rivalry match of the season as they host Orlando City SC on Sunday night.
Coming off a 3–3 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes, the Herons find themselves in poor form, having won just once in their last six games in all competitions. On Wednesday in San Jose, it looked as though the frustrations had gotten to Lionel Messi as well, with the Argentine needing to be talked down after referee Joe Dickerson looked to threaten a red card.
That draw came after last week’s 4–1 loss to Minnesota United, the worst margin of defeat since Messi joined the team in the summer of 2023. Additionally, the loss irked co-owner David Beckham, who snapped back at Minnesota’s Instagram post, captioned “Pink Phony Club.”
Now, Miami have a chance to return to the win column against their rivals, who have been on a strong run of form, losing just twice this season, and riding a 10-game undefeated streak, most recently beating Charlotte FC 3–1.
With the tensions of a rivalry and the ink still drying on Jordi Alba’s new contract extension, Sunday is setting up to be an enticing clash amid the eight Rivalry Week matchups.
“It may be a new rivalry due to the age of our club, but it’s a rivalry nonetheless,” manager Javier Mascherano said Friday. “So it’s important to play a good game, especially to get back to winning ways.”
Here’s everything you need to know about Inter Miami vs Orlando City SC on Sunday night.
