Inter Miami and Lionel Messi are set to take on fellow MLS side Charlotte FC in the 2023 Leagues Cup quarter-finals at DRV PNK Stadium in Ft Lauderdale, Florida.
Miami and Messi are just two games from away from reaching the Leagues Cup final, and will have to get past Charlotte FC in order to progress in the tournament.
The Herons have have have some thrilling encounters thus far in the compeition, narrowly edging Cruz Azul 2-1 thanks to Messi's stoppage-time free-kick, Orlando City 3-1 in a game that highlighted their shaky defense, and most recently 4-4 (5-3 on pens) against FC Dallas in a dramatic comeback.
Like Miami, Charlotte are unbeaten so far in the Leagues Cup after the swept the competition in the group stage by defeating FC Dallas 2-2 (4-1 on pens) and throttling Necaxa 4-1 to qualify for the knockout stage.
The North Carolina based club encountered another penalty shootout against Cruz Azul, triumphing 0-0 (4-3 on pens) to send them through the round of 16 where they scored twice in the last 10 minutes of regulation to topple Houston Dynamo, 2-1.
Where are Inter Miami vs Charlotte FC playing?
- Location: Ft Lauderdale, Florida
- Stadium: DRV PNK Stadium
- Date: 11 August 2023
- Kick-off time: 20:30 EST / 17:30 PT / 01:30* BST
*12 August 2023
Inter Miami vs Charlotte FC H2H record ( Last Three Games )
- Inter Miami: 1 win
- Charlotte FC: 1 win
- Draws: 1
- Last Meeting: Inter Miami 3-2 Charlotte FC ( 16 July 2022 )
How to watch Inter Miami vs Charlotte FC on TV and live stream
Inter Miami team news
The Herons don't have any fresh injuries after their clash with Dallas, giving head coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino the ability to pick his ideal starting lineup. With Cremaschi's impressive performances off the bench, he could be in line for a start against Charlotte.
Jordi Alba was exceptional going forward against the Texans, and despite his poor defensive showing, Martino will probably still look to keep him in the side given his chemistry with Messi.
Inter Miami predicted lineup vs Charlotte FC
Inter Miami predicted lineup vs Charlotte FC ( 4-3-3 ): Callender; Yedlin, Kryvstov, Miller, Jordi Alba; Arroyo, Busquets, Cremaschi; Messi, Martinez, Taylor.
Inter Miami vs Charlotte FC score prediction
There will be plenty of goals scored in this one, as neither side possess a formidable defense. Miami have the likes of Messi, Robert Taylor, and Josef Martinez to lead them up front, but Charlotte also have some talented attackers in their ranks.
Ezno Copetti might be able to feature for Charlotte after being out recently with a leg injury. However, his injury hasn't stopped them from scoring goals, as Karol Swiderski and Patrick Agyemang have come on strong in recent games. Charlotte also have a solid number 10 of their own in the form of Brecht Dejaegere, who made his debut in their win over Houston.
With Miami being at home, they should have just enough to get past Charlotte. It looks like it'll still be a close affair, though, with Messi having the final say yet again.
Prediction: Inter Miami 3-2 Charlotte FC
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This article was originally published on 90min as Inter Miami vs Charlotte FC - Leagues Cup preview: TV channel, live stream, team news & prediction .