Messi, Suarez are back as Inter Miami battles Nashville for top spot in the East

Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald on Aug 14, 2026

Published in Soccer

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MIAMI — Lionel Messi made an emotional midweek return to Inter Miami after his father’s death and Luis Suarez is eligible to play again after missing the past three games serving a suspension.

The presence of the dynamic duo will be vital in Saturday’s road game against Nashville SC as Miami aims to return to winning following Leagues Cup elimination.

Inter Miami’s focus is now fully on defending its MLS Cup title after failing to win the CONCACAF Champions Cup and Leagues Cup this year. With a win Saturday, Miami would leapfrog Nashville into first place in the Eastern Conference and Supporters’ Shield race.

Miami is riding a seven-match unbeaten streak in league play and leads MLS with 45 goals, but faces a daunting task against Nashville, which is two points ahead of Miami in the standings.

Nashville has one of the best attacks in the East (35 goals), has conceded the fewest goals in MLS (14), has registered eight clean sheets, and boasts the league’s best home record with eight wins, no losses and one tie. Nashville is unbeaten in 11 of its past 12 games.

The Boys in Gold are also unbeaten in three of their last four meetings against Miami across all competitions, eliminating them from the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 on away goals earlier this season.

Messi and his teammates, who own the best road record in MLS (8-1-1), will try to hand Nashville its first loss at Geodis Park this season. Making matters more difficult, center back Micael sprained his ankle during Wednesday’s game and is unavailable. German Berterame (concussion protocol) remains questionable.

“This is a very important game between two teams who are battling for the same objectives,” Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos said Friday morning. “I think it will be a vibrant game, like all the games we have played against them in different places. We expect a positive result.”

Nashville coach BJ Callaghan said his team has great respect for Inter Miami but is not scared.

“We want to be able to compete with the elite \in MLS, we want to compete eye-to-eye, and Miami for many years, and this year, you can see having another great season that they’re one of the best teams in MLS,” Callaghan said. “We’re confident in our abilities as well.

“We’re familiar with them. We’ve played plenty of matches against each other, and so for us, it’s just about getting it back in front of our home crowd, restarting the MLS part of this journey here, and really look forward to the opportunity and the challenge.”

The key to beating Miami is being collectively compact, Callaghan said.

“Obviously, it’s a really talented team with special players, and for us, it’s always about being collectively compact, hard to play through,” he said. “But at the same time, I think there’s opportunities when we have the ball that we can be good and dangerous as well...I would say they bring out the best in us and maybe they would say we bring out some of the best in them.”

One Nashville player Inter Miami will have to keep an eye on is Argentine midfielder Cristian Espinoza, the two-time MLS All-Star who became the all-time assist leader at San Jose before moving to Nashville this season.

Espinoza is tied at third place on the MLS assist leader list with De Paul and Messi with eight this season and leads the Boys in Gold in goal contributions in all competitions. He scored the decisive goal in the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 second leg against Miami.

“Espinoza is a game-changing player, he plays well 1 v. 1, he’s a player who has been in MLS for a long time and has adapted to the style of the game here,” Hoyos said. “We have to be careful with him, as with several other of their players, but we have great players, too.”

Espinoza, a native of Buenos Aires, stressed that Nashville players are looking forward to Saturday’s match, but keeping it in perspective.

“It’s special to play against Messi, and for No. 1 and No. 2 to play, so we know it’s one of the most important games of the year,” Espinoza said. “But I don’t think it will define the season. If we win, it means just three points and there are 15 more games after that.”

Other Nashville players to watch include Hany Mukhtar, the 2022 MLS MVP; Sam Surridge, who leads the team with 11 goals; and goalkeeper Brian Schwake.

The game kicks off at 8:30 p.m. and will air on Apple TV.