Inter Miami are hoping to continue their push towards their lofty goals for the 2024 season as they host a young NYCFC side at Chase Stadium on Saturday evening.
They will be without Lionel Messi though, who having missed the March international break due to a hamstring injury, has not recovered in time and will instead hope to make his return in the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Wednesday.
“He’s being evaluated for the Monterrey match. It is a possibility,” Miami assistant coach Javi Morales said on Friday.
Inter Miami have struggled without Messi on the field, having dropped points to both CF Montreal and the New York Red Bulls in his absence.
NYCFC have also struggled mightily without their talisman Talles Magno, who has missed the start of the season due to a knee issue. In the Brazilian’s absence, NYCFC have won just one of their first five matches while suffering defeat in the other four, leaving them second-to-last in the Eastern Conference.
MORE: An updated list of which MLS games are available for free each week from Apple TV
Inter Miami vs NYCFC live stream, TV channel
Every match across the entire 2024 MLS season can be found on MLS Season Pass from Apple TV, including this Inter Miami game against NYCFC.
While a few games each week are streamed free on the platform, this match was not designated for non-subscriber viewing. Additionally, this match was not selected for television air, as FOX decided instead to broadcast a Sunday matchup between Atlanta United and the Chicago Fire.
What time is Inter Miami vs NYCFC kickoff?
This MLS match kicks off from Chase Stadium on Saturday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. local time in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Here’s how that time translates across all of the time zones in the United States:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Sat, Mar. 30 | 7:30 p.m. |
| Central Time | Sat, Mar. 30 | 6:30 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Sat, Mar. 30 | 5:30 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Sat, Mar. 30 | 4:30 p.m. |
| Alaska ST | Sat, Mar. 30 | 3:30 p.m. |
| Hawaii ST | Sat, Mar. 30 | 2:30 p.m. |
Inter Miami vs NYCFC lineups & team news
Fans had to wait until Friday to discover Lionel Messi hasn’t been deemed fit for this match, as he did not train with the team on Wednesday.
New offseason addition Nicolas Freire is out with a hamstring injury as well, but brand new loan arrival Marcelo Weigandt could slot straight into the side at right-back after DeAndre Yedlin’s departure.
Inter Miami are without Benjamin Cremaschi for another few weeks as he recovers from hernia surgery, and Facundo Farias remains sidelined for the season with an ACL tear in preseason.
Inter Miami projected starting lineup (4-3-3): Callender (GK) — Weigandt, Aviles, Kryvtsov, Alba — Gressel, Busquets, D. Gomez — D. Ruiz, Suarez, Taylor.
NYCFC are an extremely youthful side, but have been without their brightest star Talles Magno to start the year as he recovers from a knee injury, not expected back for another few weeks.
Head coach Nick Cushing has rotated three defensive-minded midfielders, James Sands, Keaton Parks, and Andres Perea, through two starting spots flanking the attacking playmaker Santiago Rodriguez.
The NYCFC boss has also had to rotate through a number of options at the head of the attack, as the squad is missing an out-and-out central striker outside of new signing Monsef Bakrar and 18-year-old Jovan Mijatovic, neither of whom have yet found the back of the net.
NYCFC projected starting lineup (4-3-3): Freese (GK) — Ilenic, Martins, Risa, O’Toole — Sands, S. Rodriguez, Parks — J. Fernandez, Bakrar, Wolf.
Inter Miami vs NYCFC prediction
- Score prediction: Inter Miami 2-1 NYCFC
Regardless of Lionel Messi’s absence, Inter Miami should have a strong enough squad to beat a struggling NYCFC side.
The 4-0 demolition last week at the hands of the Red Bulls came amidst the absence of a significant portion of Inter Miami’s squad through the international break, and with most players back in the fold, they should manage to see this one out.
While the Inter Miami defense remains leaky, NYCFC’s is even more porous, having conceded 11 goals through the first five games. The introduction of a regular right-back option and the return of some key players will make the hosts the stronger side here.