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Inter Miami vs Club Puebla Preview
Inter Miami begins their defence of the Leagues Cup in their opening group game against Club Puebla on July 27 at 8:00 pm. The Herons won the competition in 2023, defeating Nashville SC 10-9 on penalties.
Club Puebla has underperformed in the opening stages of Liga MX in 2024. They have four points on the board and currently sit 13th in the league table. Can they see off the high-flying Herons or will Miami begin their defence with a victory?
Inter Miami vs Club Puebla Head-To-Head and Key Stats
Inter Miami has been the best team in the MLS this season. Head coach Tata Martino arrived at the club in July 2023 and has overhauled the playing staff, entertaining fans with his high-octane, attacking style of soccer.
His first, and so far biggest, acquisition has been that of the legendary Lionel Messi. The Argentinian has been electric since he arrived in Miami. Former Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba joined him and Sergio Busquets in Fort Lauderdale as Martino began assembling a team of stars.
Miami had an excellent 2024 so far under his tutelage. They are top of the Eastern Conference; five points clear of second-placed FC Cincinnati. The Herons have scored more goals than any team in the league, finding the net 56 times.
They most recently played against the Chicago Fire on July 20. Miami started strongly when Matias Rojas got on the end of Robert Taylor’s ball across the box. He fired low and hard into the bottom right corner to give the hosts the lead after just six minutes.
Inter Miami frequently pressured the Chicago defence and goalkeeper, Chris Brady, had a busy day at the office. He faced nine shots on target from the hosts and was left reeling at his backline’s disorganization. The 20-year-old kept Miami out long enough for Chicago to fight back and score an equalizer in the 73rd minute. A marauding run from centreback Rafael Czicho allowed him to find space for a shot in the box, beating Drake Callendar at his near post.
Chicago was pegged back immediately. A miscommunication between Brady and Mauricio Pineda knocked the ball into the path of Jordi Alba, who shot into an open net in the 75th minute. That was enough for Miami to take home all three points, winning 2-1 and extending their lead at the top of the Eastern conference.
Puebla has started poorly in the Liga MX. They are 13th in the Apertura after four games and most recently fell to their second defeat of the season when they met Atlas on July 19. Eduardo Aguirre struck first in the 9th minute to put Atlas ahead. He doubled his tally and the visitor’s lead in the 23rd minute. Adrian Mora headed the ball across the box from a corner and Aguirre bundled the ball into the net from close range to make it 2-0.
Lucas Cavallini got one back for Puebla quickly after the break. Los Camoteros could not take advantage of any momentum after halving the deficit. Their poor finishing summed up their performance, managing just two shots on target from 15 attempts. It finished 2-1 to Atlas and Canadian striker Cavallini went off early with an injury.
Inter Miami vs Club Puebla Predictions
Correct score prediction: Inter Miami 3-1 Club Puebla
Inter Miami has been the strongest performer in the MLS this season. Tata Martino’s attacking style of play has frequently overwhelmed opponents. His overlapping fullbacks overload the final third and defences have struggled to deal with their quality, scoring 56 goals in the league. They will capitalize on Club Puebla’s faltering defence. Our soccer prediction is for a Miami victory.
Puebla has won just once in the league in 2024. Their poor performances are because of an inadequate defence. Los Camoteros has conceded eight goals in four games. Only two teams in Liga MX have conceded more. That is a frightening statistic considering the attacking form of Inter Miami. The Herons boast goals all over the field with 14 players on the scoresheet in their campaign. Miami is successful in front of goal no matter who is on the field.
Back at @chase_stadium 🤩💗🖤 pic.twitter.com/459TMxhxEV
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) July 19, 2024
Lionel Messi will miss this game because of an injury. Any team would miss a player of his calibre, but Miami has quality in depth. Luis Suarez has netted 12 times and is fit after appearing at Copa America for Uruguay. They coped without their South American stars throughout Copa America, winning five of their six fixtures. Leonardo Campana, Robert Taylor, and Matias Rojas stepped up in their absence. That is a testament to their depth, and the amount of talent on their roster will see them brush past Puebla.
There is also a creative void in Puebla. Through their first four games, Lucas Cavallini is the only player to register an assist with two. Fifteen players have registered assists for Miami this season. Julian Gressel has been in the playmaking form of his career recently. The versatile USA international has notched 12 assists this season and whether it’s from open play or set pieces, his precision passes have been vital to Miami’s success in 2024. Cavallini has been the top performer for Puebla and any success in this game will probably come through him.
Inter Miami vs Club Puebla Betting Tips
Inter Miami is the favourite to win this game. The Herons are fancied to retain their trophy, worth +900 in the Leagues Cup betting markets. They can get off to a winning start against Puebla and if you are looking at a moneyline bet, wager on Inter Miami. They are worth -179 and should get past Puebla with ease.
The over/under is set at 2.5 goals for this game. Inter Miami has been the most prolific scorer in the league this season and the MLS betting odds have often favoured them to go over. All their previous 10 games were over 2.5 goals and three of Puebla’s four games this season have been the same. Back the over, worth -175. You can extend those odds by combining our previous two selections. A bet on Inter Miami to win and over 2.5 goals in the game is worth +120.
Luis Suarez is back in Miami following Uruguay’s Copa America campaign. The former Barcelona and Liverpool striker leads the Herons’ scoring charts with 12 goals in 18 games. He is likely to start this game, leading the line for the hosts. Suarez has changed his game as his physical ability has declined, scoring goals in the 18-yard box as a wily poacher. We are backing the Uruguayan to get on the scoresheet at Chase Stadium. Our online betting odds will look favourably on Suarez as an anytime goalscorer.
With a roster of exciting players, Miami has several players who can pop up with goals, assists and other prop bets. The Leagues Cup is an exciting competition and Miami will want to impress in the first game of their defence. Look at the live betting markets when the game has started for exciting opportunities to wager in play.
Leagues Cup Format
The first Leagues Cup took place in 2019 and has been one of the most exciting additions to the North American soccer calendar. Every team from the MLS and Liga MX takes part following the expansion to 47 teams in 2023. Seventy-seven matches take place in the US and Canada.
They seed the top 15 teams from both leagues into 15 groups based on their performance in the league in the previous season. The remaining teams face off based on geographic proximity. The MLS Cup and Liga MX champions receive byes to the knockout rounds. Columbus Crew and Club America received that honour this season.
Each team plays three group games in a round-robin format, with the top two progressing to the round of 32. Four rounds of knockout soccer occur before we reach the final. The three highest-placing teams in the 2024 Leagues Cup will qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Champion League.
Inter Miami Team News
Lionel Messi injured his ankle in the Copa America Final. He has not returned to training and faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Nicolas Freire and Facundo Farias are out for the season with ACL injuries. Luis Suarez is out of the MLS All-Star game with ‘knee discomfort’ but will return in time to face Puebla. Sergio Busquets and Marcelo Weigandt’s suspensions are up and not applicable to fixtures outside of the MLS.
- Predicted lineup: Callender, Alba, Aviles, Kryvtsov, Weigandt, Redondo, Busquets, Rojas, Taylor, Gressel, Suarez.
Club Puebla Team News
Puebla can field a full-strength team with no injuries or suspensions to worry about. Manager José Manuel de la Torre will probably turn to Canadian forward Lucas Cavallini. The 31-year-old has four goals in four games for Puebla this season. However, he left the pitch after 60 minutes in the last match because of an injury. The Mexican coach may rotate some key personnel.
- Predicted lineup: Rodriguez, Gustavo, Gularte, Orona, Angulo, De Buen, Alvarez, Castillo, Gonzalez Diaz, A. Rodriguez, Cavallini.
