By Favian Renkel
The stars will be out at Chase Stadium on Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. local time, when Inter Miami aim to keep their objective of lifting the Leagues Cup trophy once more alive. On the other side, Ángel Correa and Tigres UANL will look to spoil the party as they attempt to become the first Mexican team to win the Leagues Cup.
HEAD TO HEAD
- 2nd meeting all-time
- Tigres won their first meeting at last year's Leagues Cup (2-1 in Group Stage)
- Record at Leagues Cup: Inter Miami (12-2), Puebla (3-4)
LAST FIVE GAMES
- Inter Miami
- 4 Wins, 0 Draws, 1 Loss
- Won all three games of Phase One, two in regulation and one in penalties.
- Tigres UANL
- 3 Wins, 0 Draws, 2 Losses
- Won first two games of Phase One by a wide margin (6-2) which helped them earn spot in quarterfinals.
MAIN STORYLINES
- Inter Miami has the best record of any team in Leagues Cup (12-2), but of those two losses one came against Tigres UANL in last year's Group Stage.
- Lionel Messi returned to action over the weekend and scored a goal in a win over the Galaxy, signaling he should be available in some capacity for this matchup.
- Inter Miami is currently on a 10-game unbeaten streak in their home stadium.
- Ángel Correa enters the quarterfinals tied for the tournament lead with 4 goals, can he find the back of the net again?
KEY FACTORS
- Inter Miami
- In what ways will Rodrigo de Paul make his biggest impact in this game, he's been all over the field and has a goal and two assists in 3 games.
- What can Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez contribute or do they need a rest game?
- Can Inter Miami's defense stay sound versus one of the best Liga MX offenses?
- Tigres UANL
- Will Guido Pizarro make any changes to a lineup that has worked thus far in Leagues Cup?
- Who will step up in attack other than Angel Correa? Andre Pierre-Gignac has not scored in the last two Leagues Cup editions.
- Can Tigres advance as the underdog playing in the home stadium of Inter Miami?
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Inter Miami CF, with their star-powered roster, are set to face another favorite for the Leagues Cup trophy: Tigres UANL. With both sides just three wins away from the title, each will be desperate to handle business in this quarterfinal clash.
Javier Mascherano’s squad, led by Lionel Messi, is in a favorable position. Should they take care of business against Tigres, Miami would host the semifinal — and if the LA Galaxy fail to reach the final, the Herons would also host the championship match. The biggest concern for Inter Miami remains Messi’s fitness. While the Argentine featured against the Galaxy in their last MLS match, he left immediately after the final whistle and was seen rubbing his hamstring, raising fears of a re-aggravation of the injury suffered earlier against Club Necaxa.
Mascherano will have key lineup decisions to make as the roster continues to evolve. Federico Redondo’s departure to Spain opens the door for new faces to step up, especially if Messi is unable to suit up.
On the other side, this is the matchup fans have been waiting for: Tigres vs. Inter Miami. Argentina teammates Ángel Correa and Messi, along with Rodrigo De Paul, are set to headline a high-profile clash. Correa, tied with Joao Fernandes for the Leagues Cup Golden Boot with four goals, has the chance to cement his status as the tournament’s standout player with a big performance against the tournament favorite. If Tigres manage to knock out Inter Miami, their path to the title would become even more favorable.
Ultimately, the showdown at Chase Stadium is more than just a quarterfinal. It’s a battle of star power, national pride, and continental stakes — with the winner likely emerging as the frontrunner to lift the Leagues Cup trophy.
