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As season resumptions go, pairing the two best teams in the East is a good way to go about it.

Such is the case for Major League Soccer Saturday night, when Inter Miami CF will host Cincinnati FC in a power-packed matchup in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

While Miami (16-4-5, 53 points) won’t have superstar Lionel Messi on the pitch because of an ankle injury he sustained last month while playing for Argentina in the Copa America final, the club does have good news regarding his eventual return.

Coach Tata Martino said on Friday that Messi has started individual workouts this week and that he expects Messi to return before the season concludes.

“There is no estimated date for his return,” Martino said. “It’ll depend on how he feels after he begins training sessions on the field. He has been out on the field working with a physio for the past three or four days and is progressing well.”

While Miami won’t have Messi, it might have motivation on its side. In the Herons’ last matchup with Cincinnati on July 6, they sustained a humiliating 6-1 defeat, the most goals they have ever conceded in a match.

That was also the last time Cincinnati (15-7-3, 48 points) won before dropping its last three matches entering the league’s summer break for international competitions. Cincinnati lost two straight at home, where the club is normally close to unbeatable, before a 3-1 loss at the New York Red Bulls.

Cincinnati made moves during the break, the biggest one coming on Aug. 15 when it added forward Nicholas Gioacchini. He scored 10 goals last year for St. Louis City SC before being transferred to an Italian team, Como 1907, that earned promotion to Serie A with Gioacchini’s help.

“He is an excellent teammate with high character who will provide a versatile presence on our front line,” Cincinnati general manager Chris Albright said in a release. “He knows how to compete in our league and is committed to helping us fight for trophies this season.”

The teams’ all-time series is tied at 4-4-2, though Inter Miami hasn’t beaten Cincinnati since 2021.

–Field Level Media