The Major League Soccer playoffs begin Friday when Inter Miami plays Atlanta United in the first game of a best-of-three Eastern Conference series.
Per DraftKings, Miami is heavily favored. But Atlanta tends to bring out the worst in the Lionel Messi-powered powerhouse that earned the MLS Supporters’ Shield by leading the league in points with 74.
Miami finished first in the East this season, while Atlanta finished ninth (and beat eighth-place CF Montréal in the wild-card game to earn its playoff spot).
Miami is undefeated against 14 of the 21 teams it has played in the league since Messi joined the team in July 2023. The one team it has failed to beat is lowly ninth-placed Atlanta.
Atlanta crushed Miami twice in the Messi era, winning 5-2 when Messi was unavailable and 3-1 when he was fit and starting. The two played out a 2-2 draw in their most recent meeting, with Atlanta striker Aleksei Miranchuk scoring a wonder goal to level things late in the second half.
Miami’s Messi-era record against Atlanta currently stands at played 3, lost 2, drew 1, with a -5 cumulative goal difference across all three matches. It’s Miami’s worst record against any team in MLS since Messi’s arrival.
Atlanta’s edge could be its familiarity with Inter Miami coach Tata Martino, who built his MLS career in Atlanta, where he won the MLS Cup in 2018. Many of Martino’s co-workers from that period remain with Atlanta, and they know Martino’s tricks better than just about anyone.
There’s only so much Atlanta can do against individual brilliance from players such as Messi, but it leverages its deep knowledge of Martino’s tactics to throw the rest of his players off their rhythm.
Atlanta striker Saba Lobzhanidze, a player casual fans may recognize from Georgia’s unprecedented run during the summer’s European Championships, likes playing against defenses such as Miami’s that struggle with distance shots. He scored twice from long distance against Miami this season.
If Miami enters this series against Atlanta without preparing for its tactical brilliance and long-range shotmaking, it could be embarrassed in the opening round, throwing the league into tilt.