This Tuesday, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami CF will take the field for their second match-up of this summer’s Leagues Cup against a tough rival in Atlanta United FC. The clash will take place at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, where the Florida outfit will look to secure their spot in the tournament’s playoffs. In the opening game of the South 3 group, they came out on top 2-1 over **Cruz Azul**.
The game will see two World Cup winners and Argentina teammates cross paths, with **Messi** and **Thiago Almada** sharing a pitch once again. But it won’t be the only reunion happening on Tuesday.
Gerardo “Tata” Martino, the current Inter Miami CF head coach, will be taking on The Five Stripes, the team he took to MLS glory back in 2018.
“Tata” first decided to take his wealth of footballing knowledge to North America in 2017, when he took charge of the recently-formed Atlanta United FC in MLS, having managed his country’s national team from 2014 to 2016.
Barely a year after the experienced South American manager’s arrival, the Georgia-based outfit were MLS Cup 2018 champions. In that final, played in front of 73,000 fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Martino’s men saw off the Portland Timbers with a convincing 2-0 win. The goals would come from the Venezuelan Josef Martínez and the Argentine Franco Escobar.
As well as winning the title, the squad had set MLS alight throughout the campaign. Martínez - now of Inter Miami - would close out the season with 35 goals, while his partner in attack, Julian Gressel, registered 13 assists.
Other standouts in the team included the Argentines Leandro González Pires and Eric Remedi; the Paraguayans Miguel Almirón and Héctor Villalba; and U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan, among others.
Once the season had ended, Martino decided not to stay on and instead accepted an offer to lead the Mexican national team, with which he would win the CONCACAF Gold Cup and qualify for the 2022 World Cup.
In his years there, the nickname “Tata” and the surname “Martino” became synonymous with football in Atlanta, Georgia. Will he be able to make his mark at Inter Miami CF as well, and win the club’s first silverware at Leagues Cup 2023. Tuesday’s match will be a crucial match-up in the team’s ambitions to go all the way.
