Inter Miami Prediction and Prop Bets: What to Expect from Messi's Debut Season with Inter Miami

Lionel Messi finally drew the curtain on his PSG career after 2 seasons. He was once again in the spotlight as many clubs were in the race for the Argentine’s signature and finally after much speculation, he signed for MLS outfit Inter Miami CF. Lionel Messi’s time at PSG saw him score 6 goals and 14 assists in the 2021/22 season and then ending his final season with 16 goals and 16 assists in the 2022/23 season. And he was not short of silverware in France, as he won back-to-back Ligue 1 titles in both seasons and then one Trophee de Champions in the 2022 season. He also won the 2023 Sportsman of the Year Award during his time with the French Champions. Now with his new Journey about to begin with Inter Miami CF, there are still a lot of questions about the Sportsman’s ability to produce his brilliance in a different terrain with Inter Miami CF currently struggling in the campaign. How much can we expect of the Argentine with Inter Miami CF this season? Let's find out.

Lionel Messi has had a very bright career no doubt, but he has often been criticized for not being able to replicate his best form outside his boyhood club FC Barcelona. The Criticism gained more grounds after his rather average performance in his first season at Paris Saint Germain. Lionel Messi struggled to fit into the star-studded side which included superstars like Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappe. The team looked prepared to finally win the UEFA Champions League title, but yet again the team never made it to the Final in both seasons with Lionel Messi. So once again the question remains; will Lionel Messi be able to perform at the highest level in a team as Inter Miami CF this season?

Shifting our focus on the current Inter Miami CF, we can see they are currently sitting at the bottom of the MLS table with only 22 points from the opening 22 matches. They have won only 5 games, while drawing 3 and losing 14 matches. The team’s current top goal scorer is Jose Martinez and he has 6 league goals this season from 20 matches he has played in. His current goal per game ratio is at 0.3 and he scores every 224 minutes. Defensively, Inter Miami CF have only kept 2 clean sheets all season and they have conceded 36 goals already with an average of 1.6 goals conceded per game. Franco Negri stands out with the most clearances and interceptions from the defensive unit. He has an average of 1.6 interceptions per game and an average of 3.3 clearances per game.

From all indications, this is clearly not a team Lionel Messi can fix alone and there shouldn’t be too much expectation on the Argentine this season as the team is clearly in bad shape. But unfortunately, Lionel Messi doesn't have the luxury for excuses after such a dramatic move and the current jibe from rival Cristiano Ronaldo only makes things tense for the Argentine. So, Lionel Messi has to carry the burdens of reviving this team and gain the plaudits from the fans as the true best in the world.

Based on the current set up of the Inter Miami CF team, I expect Lionel Messi to fit right into the center of the team’s structure as a number 10, with a play-making role. Lionel Messi has proven to be most lethal when he is allowed to roam freely in the middle of the pack and coach Gerardo Martino knows that having worked with the Argentine in the past. Another big advantage is the addition of Sergio Busquet, who is also considered a midfield genius. He can surely provide the control in the middle of the park to allow Lionel Messi the freedom to do his magic. Lionel Messi is very popular for his breath-taking passes and vision for his teammates in goal scoring positions. And that is exactly what we all expect Lionel Messi to add to this team provided he gets enough of the ball and the forward can convert, then Lionel Messi will surely do what Lionel Messi does best; Assist. Lionel Messi racked up 16 assists last season in the Ligue 1 and 14 assists in the season before that, so this is surely a good option to look out for. But then again, the Inter Miami CF team still needs developments in other areas of the pitch and the sooner they do that, the easier it will be for the Argentine.

Inter Miami CF fans will be looking ahead for the dividends of the signing of Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquet and hopefully; a major shift in their team’s position. But in reality, it will take more than just a 36-year old Lionel Messi and a 35-year old Sergio Busquet to revive their season. The Inter Miami CF is expected to build their game play around Lionel Messi occupying a number 10 role at the center of the pitch and if Lionel Messi only thrives when he has control of a game in terms of ball possessions. With Sergio Busquet lying deep behind him, you can expect that Lionel Messi will have his much-needed control over the flow of the game as the team will be looking to hold onto possession more than before. However, the team has been conceding cheap goals and this is something Gerardo Martino must certainly address or they will go nowhere with the world cup winner in their squad.

Finally, Lionel Messi looks good with his forward looking sharp and hungry and this is a quality Josef Martinez and Leonardo Campana might want to get on as the league resumes next month.

After analysis, we say bet on:

• Lionel Messi to get Over 6.5 Assists at 1.9 Odds
• Lionel Messi to Score Under 7.5 Goals at 1.72 Odds
• Lionel Messi to get Over 6.5 Assists at 1.9 Odds