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Inter Miami v Pumas UNAM preview

Inter Miami are in a strong position to finish in the top four of their group and qualify for the knockout stage of the 2025 Leagues Cup – but with 11 teams within three points of the Herons as part of the new competition format, even a draw in their closing group stage match against Pumas UNAM could mean elimination.

Having won 2-1 at home to Atlas in their opening game, Miami rescued a 2-2 draw against visitors Necaxa courtesy of Jordi Alba’s 92nd-minute equaliser on Saturday before earning a bonus point for a 5-4 victory on penalties, although manager Javier Mascherano said he felt “totally bitter” over Maxi Falcon’s 17th-minute dismissal for a shirt pull and questioned why a Mexican referee had taken charge of a game involving a team from their country.

“I am not saying the call was because of his nationality,” added Mascherano, who had previously used a press conference to publicly query why Miami are yet to receive a penalty in this season’s MLS when every other team has been awarded at least two spot kicks.

“But I find it very strange that they did not go to [a] VAR [Video Assistant Referee review] for an expulsion that changed the game.

“It would have taken 30 seconds, maybe one minute. If they are going to have a serious competition, that needs to change.”

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Pumas have won one and lost two of their first three Liga MX games this season but have matched Miami’s tally of five points in the Leagues Cup after successive home wins, following up a victory over Orlando City on penalties by beating Atlanta 3-2 on Saturday, when Adalberto Carrasquilla scored the winner with his second goal of the contest in the 89th minute.

Former Vancouver Whitecaps and Mexico player Efrain Juarez took over at his boyhood club in March, having played for them between 2008 and 2010 before becoming the first ever Mexican signing in the Scottish Premier League when he joined Celtic for £2 million.

“All the goals we’ve conceded have been from transitions or giving the ball away while trying to attack in away games,” said Juarez, scrutinizing his team’s defensive work.

“It seems to me that sometimes we’re taking too many risks. My team defends with the ball. My team is a team that always moves forward, is intense and takes risks.

“What are the risks? If you lose the ball, [the opposition] are going to be near our goalkeeper. I prefer those risks and circumstances to being behind [the ball] for 98 minutes and winning a transition.

“I don’t understand football like that and I can’t do it. I like to be aggressive and I like to push forward and take risks.”

Inter Miami v Pumas UNAM team news

Miami lost the player they least want to lose when captain and top scorer Lionel Messi went to ground and received treatment during the first 10 minutes against Necaxa.

The icon, who set up their goals against Atlas, appeared to have suffered a hamstring issue, and Miami have since issued an update describing the problem as a minor right-leg muscle injury, with the amount of time he is out for depending on his response to treatment.

Mascherano has received better news over Falcon, who is available after the defender’s dismissal was overturned on appeal.

Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, who has signed initially on loan from Atletico Madrid, played throughout, while Noah Allen started in central defense on the versatile Greece youth international’s return from a hamstring injury.

Ecuador prospect Allen Obando and goalkeeper Oscar Ustari missed out as a result of hamstring issues, but Racing Club de Avellaneda loanee Baltasar Rodriguez is yet to return from the same problem.

Defender Ian Fray was back on the bench following an injury sustained during the Club World Cup, but Drake Callender suffered a setback in training last week as the goalkeeper returns from hernia surgery.

Pumas will be without Keylor Navas after the three-time Champions League winner was sent off as part of an eventful evening for the goalkeeper against Atlanta.

Navas scored a 35th-minute own goal to bring Atlanta level and was dismissed for a challenge outside of his box in the 95th minute in a decision that left Juarez unimpressed with the officiating.

Jaurez accepted that he will be without “one of the best goalkeepers in the history of this continent” and now has to choose between untested Under-21 player Miguel Paul and 17-year-old Rodrigo Parra, who made mistakes for two goals in a 3-0 defeat at Santos Laguna last month in his only appearance so far for the club.

Former Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid favorite Navas joined Pumas from Argentinian side Newell’s Old Boys for a reported $2 million, with the 38-year-old saying he had turned down offers from countries including Saudi Arabia in order to be nearer home.

In attack, Jaurez expects to be without Santiago Lopez for at least a month because the 20-year-old has a broken finger.

Juarez has occasionally used a back five but did not confirm whether he will repeat the trick at Chase Stadum.

Inter Miami v Pumas UNAM expected line-ups

Inter Miami starting XI: Novo; Weigandt, Lujan, Falcon, Alba; Redondo De Paul, Busquets, Segovia; Allende, Suarez

Pumas starting XI: Parra; Bennevendo, Duarte, Nathan, Angulo; Caicedo, Carrasquilla; Lopez, Vite, Ruvalcaba; Martinez

How to watch Inter Miami v Pumas UNAM: Live stream, TV channel

Kick-off on Wednesday is at 19:30 ET (16:30 PT on Wednesday/ 00:30 on Thursday BST), with live coverage available through the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+.

In the US, a subscription costs $14.99 a month or $69 a season. Existing Apple TV+ subscribers pay $12.99 per month or $59 a season.

Inter Miami v Pumas UNAM stats

• After Matchday 3, MLS clubs and Liga MX sides had each won 19 matches in this season’s competition against Liga MX sides.
• There was yet to be a 0-0 draw by that point, with both teams scoring in 31 of the games.
• Miami have won four and lost one of their four games against Mexican teams in the Leagues Cup, including both of their home games against opposition from the country in the competition.
• Messi has 24 goals and 10 assists in 31 appearances in all competitions this season.
• The Herons are unbeaten in six home games, winning six of their last eight.
• They have won three of their six games when Messi has been absent this season and two of their last five in the Leagues Cup over 90 minutes without the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, including 2024.
• Carrasquilla has scored three of Pumas’ four goals in this season’s competition, with only Tigres UNAL’s Angel Correa – on four – bettering the Panama midfielder’s total.
• Pumas conceded two fewer goals than any other team during the regular phase of last season’s Torneo Apertura, only to lose the second leg of their quarter-final 5-3 to Monterrey following a 1-0 first-leg defeat.
• Los Pumas lost two of their three games against MLS opponents in the 2024 Leagues Cup, succumbing 3-2 at home to Austin before defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 at home and being beaten 4-0 at the Seattle Sounders.
• They had been unbeaten in three such games before then, beating New York on penalties in the 2021 quarter-finals and drawing 2-2 at Montreal and winning 3-0 at home to DC United in the 2023 competition.

Inter Miami v Pumas UNAM prediction

Miami have been spirited rather than convincing during Messi’s absence for almost all of two of their last three games, earning a 0-0 draw against MLS high-flyers Cincinnati and edging past Necaxa.

Telasco Segova is their top scorer in the Leagues Cup with two goals – Messi is yet to score – while Uruguay all-time top scorer Luis Suarez is on a run of one assist in seven matches in all competitions.

The involvement of the likes of Suarez, De Paul and Alba means Miami have the potential to plunder the victory they are likely to require to advance, but they will have to improve upon their display against Necaxa, who had 55% of possession and forced Rocco Rios Novo to make five of the seven saves in the game.

With that in mind, expect a 2-2 draw that may not satisfy either sides’ ambitions of reaching the knockout stage.