Inter Miami at LAFC MLS preview: Lionel Messi odds, best bets, up to $3,400 in sportsbook promo codes

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Inter Miami, held scoreless on Wednesday for the first time since Lionel Messi’s arrival, doesn’t have much time to recover, as a challenging contest in Los Angeles against LAFC awaits on Sunday.

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On Wednesday, Nashville held Inter Miami to a 0-0 stalemate at DRV PNK Stadium, the first time an opposition has kept Lionel Messi’s side off the scoresheet in 10 encounters. It was also the first time Messi hasn’t scored or assisted.

It was also the first time the Herons failed to win with Messi in the side. There is a caveat to that stat: Inter Miami required penalties to prevail in two Leagues Cup matches and a U.S. Open Cup contest during its nine-game winning streak.

Inter Miami travels to Los Angeles on a short rest week to play the Western Conference’s second-best team. Messi is expected to play and should start. He will then join Argentina for World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador on Sept. 7 in Buenos Aires and in La Paz against Bolivia on Sept. 12.

LAFC, seven points adrift of first-place St. Louis, boasts the conference’s joint-third-best home defensive record. They’ve allowed 10 goals in 13 contests at BMO Stadium, keeping two clean sheets in their previous four.

And the home side didn’t play midweek, compounding Inter Miami’s list of challenges.

So a sterner test lies in wait for Inter Miami, who looks to extend their unbeaten streak to 11 games since Messi suited up for the club.

Fatigue could become a factor for the 36-year-old, who has played a lot of soccer recently. He played the entire match against Nashville on Wednesday after entering the fray with 30 minutes remaining in New Jersey against the Red Bulls on Saturday, Aug. 26.

Messi is in brilliant shape but has accumulated heaps of minutes since arriving stateside. The Herons have also traveled extensively recently, another factor to consider.

Seeing how fresh he is for Sunday’s crucial match will be interesting.

For the first time since Messi’s North American debut, Inter Miami is the unanimous underdog for Sunday’s encounter, which is understandable considering all the aforementioned factors.

When looking at Messi’s props, the anytime goalscorer is usually a winner. The match in LA has slightly longer odds for Messi to score than previous matches. Multiple factors are contributing to the somewhat longer odds:

• He was held off the scoresheet on Wednesday for the second time.
• Inter Miami has only three full days’ rest in between games.
• LA is the Western Conference’s second-best side and joint-third best defensive unit.

Also, Messi hasn’t scored in two of his previous three matches, the only two in 10 appearances he didn’t register a goal. Is he tired, or has his recent mini-goalscoring drought (only a drought where Messi’s lofty standards are concerned) proven he’s human after all?

Messi will rebound as only Messi can. Back him to score his 12th Inter Miami goal.

Sunday’s game will be a perfect litmus test for Messi and Inter Miami. They’ve recently traveled more than a billionaire jet setter and face a well-rested LAFC, whose record at home is the third-best in the Western Conference.

These adversity-laden games are where Messi shows why he is the world’s greatest footballer. Fatigue might play a factor, so look for Messi to score early and Inter Miami to hold on, just.

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