Inter Miami cautious of vengeful Nashville in Champions Cup matchup
Inter Miami CF head coach Javier Mascherano stated that his squad is prepared to face a vengeful Nashville SC in their two-legged Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 matchup, approaching Wednesday night’s encounter at Geodis Park with “blood in their eyes.”
The last meeting between the two sides occurred in the opening round of the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs, where Inter Miami secured a 2-1 victory in the best-of-three series, eliminating Nashville.
“It’s always a challenging game when we play in Nashville. We are aware that their supporters will create a demanding atmosphere, and we must remember that they are a team with a strong desire for revenge,” Mascherano remarked on Tuesday.
“When you confront an opponent that we’ve fortunately eliminated and who contributed to our championship victory last year, along with the fact that the club has previously won finals against them, it’s evident that they will seek retribution. Therefore, we must be fully aware that we are up against a rival that has a significant thirst for sporting revenge, and we need to be well-prepared for that.”
Inter Miami aims to capture the Concacaf Champions Cup trophy, having faced challenges in achieving this goal in 2024 and 2025. The Herons reached the semifinals in the last edition of the international tournament but were defeated by the Vancouver Whitecaps 5-1 on aggregate.
“We are not a team that selects which competitions to participate in; we are required to compete in all of them,” Mascherano explained. “Clearly, the Champions League is the only tournament that the club typically participates in that we have yet to win, and it is generating considerable excitement for all of us. However, we must ensure that this does not turn into an obsession. There is a distinction between being excited and being obsessed. When you become obsessed with something, you are more likely to make errors.”
Miami captain Lionel Messi will also look to Wednesday’s match to potentially achieve his 900th career goal. The Argentine forward netted his 899th goal on Saturday night against D.C. United in MLS regular season play, prompting Mascherano to describe him, once again, as “one of a kind.”
“Clearly, we do not fully comprehend the magnitude of it. The prospect of him scoring 900 goals is astonishing, remarkable for such a distinctive player. The reality is, I often find myself reiterating the same point: Leo’s statistics are impressive, but ultimately, the numbers are the least significant aspect,” Mascherano stated.
“You can accumulate many goals, but the essential factor is how you achieve them, and he has not only reached remarkable figures in terms of goals and assists but also contributes significantly to the game itself, which I believe is far more important than his statistics.”
The only player with a higher goal tally than Messi in soccer history is Cristiano Ronaldo, who has netted 965 goals throughout his career with both club and country. Ronaldo has consistently expressed his desire to surpass the 1,000 goal milestone before retiring.
The second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 is scheduled to take place on March 18 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
