Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United preview: Lionel Messi odds, best Messi bets, up to $3,750 in sportsbook promo codes

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With expectations reaching otherworldly levels after Lionel Messi’s injury-time heroics in his debut, the magic maestro gets set to take on Atlanta United in his second match as an Inter Miami player.

Messi’s last-gasp, long-range free-kick winner on Friday against Cruz Azul perfectly encapsulated his unrivaled ability to to turn fantasy into reality, making the improbable look elementary.

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High expectations follow elite players everywhere they go.

But Messi isn’t your typical top-tier player. He creates an aura of inevitability; his mere presence is matched only by his unparalleled skill set and ability to harness the untold pressure most mortals would crumple under.

Messi’s winner on Friday was the 63rd free-kick goal of his decorated career. Many expected his long-range effort to find the goal, a testament to his god-like aptitude. Even during training scoring a free kick from that distance is not a simple feat.

Sprinkle in the other complexities, like the sweltering heat, his first Inter Miami action, the timing of the strike, and the fact the outcome of the match was riding on that single moment, puts into focus the feat’s hair-raising grandiosity.

So what should sports bettors expect from Messi’s encore performance when he suits up against Atlanta United in Tuesday’s Leagues Cup encounter?

Messi’s debut saw him introduced in the 56th minute, providing the diminutive maestro just 34 minutes plus stoppage time to impact proceedings. The same scenario will not occur tonight, as Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino will invariably select Messi as the first player on Inter Miami’s team sheet.

Starting the match will provide Messi the platform to dictate ongoings from kick-off, a foreboding prospect for visiting Atlanta, who have the MLS’ most porous defense.

Atlanta United has conceded 39 goals in 24 MLS matches. While tonight’s encounter is a cup match, don’t expect the visitors to improve their shoddy defensive body of work. Even Inter Miami, the bottom feeder of the entire league, has a better defensive record.

Expect Messi to feast on United’s lackluster defense like a famished lion with an injured fawn in his crosshairs. He had .26 XGs against Cruz Azul during his 36-minute cameo on Friday but still managed to score. His expected goals tally will probably never be that low again, especially considering he’ll take his rightful place in the starting 11.

If you’re feeling a bit more bold, and who wouldn’t with Messi pulling the strings, back the magician scoring two goals, which yields a return of at least $550 on a $100 wager.

If you’re looking for a slightly safer option, Messi to get at least two shots on target sits at -175. Before playing it safe, consider this. Messi notched two shots on target in 34 minutes of action during his debut. Now he’s had time to warm up and adapt to his new environment. In addition, he should be on the pitch for at least 60 minutes, maybe more.

And for the piece de resistance: Messi is playing against arguably North America’s worst, most penetrable collective defensive unit. Now ask yourself, would Messi take the safer option?

Ok, so this pick isn’t explicitly considered a Messi prop, but its outcome is based significantly on the magician’s on-field impact. With his outlandish ability to boss the ball, especially against an inferior rearguard, Messi should consistently put Atlanta United on the back foot.

In theory, that should directly correlate to an increased number of corners from the home side, at least in the opening half. Messi might be withdrawn at some point during the second half, but Inter Milan should have already won the race to five corner kicks by then.

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