Inter Miami FC vs Montreal CF Prediction: it's dangerous when Lionel Messi finds his rhythm.

Inter Miami FC are top of the MLS table having played one more game than the other teams in the division. They have 7 points from the opening 3 games and they had 2 wins and 1 draw in those games. The team is gradually living up to expectations this season after the influx of superstars in the last 2 transfer windows. They are now expected to perform better than they did last season and maybe challenge for the top spot at the end of the season. Inter Miami FC turn their focus to CF Montreal in their 4th game of the season and they hope to end the game with all 3 points.

CF Montreal will be heading into this game against Inter Miami with caution because they are fully aware of the status of the team. They are also playing against the odds as they come in as visitors on this occasion. CF Montreal have had a good start to the campaign for a team of their caliber and maintaining the momentum is everything they would hope for right now.

Inter Miami

Inter Miami FC needs no further introduction as they are the most popular and decorated club in the MLS currently. And in terms of form, they are also one of the strongest teams in the division this season. Inter Miami had 2 wins and 1 draw in their first 3 league games this season. They are also doing really well in the CONCACAF Champions League tournament, where they held Nashville SC to a 2-2 draw in the first leg of the round of 16.

Inter Miami trashed Orlando City SC 5-0 in their last MLS match last week. The team were in fine form during the game and there were significant contributions from the 2 biggest superstar players, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. Both players netted twice and while Robert Taylor scored once during the 5-0 win. According to the stats it was a show of Miami's attacking prowess as they created 6 big chances and hit the woodwork twice during the game. Beyond doubt, Lionel Messi was a big contributor to the team's victory but one man stole the headlines at the end and that was Luis Suarez. He struggled in the opening 2 games of the season and there was a slight worry among the fans whether he would be able to reach the heights he once reached a few years ago. But he calmed those fears and proved his doubters wrong by scoring 2 goals and also putting on an excellent performance.

Inter Miami will be expected to win the coming game against CF Montreal for obvious reasons and with the current form of the front 3, we can expect them to meet those expectations.

CF Montreal

Montreal FC will feel intimidated in the buildup to this clash. There's so much attacking threat in the Inter Miami team at the moment, not to mention that the Worlds Best Player is also present in the team. It's a call to hard work for every player on the Montreal team and they have to deliver nothing less if they intend to keep Inter Miami down.

Montreal are not doing badly in the league so far. After the goalless draw against Orlando City on the opening day, they finally got their first win in the 2nd game against FC Dallas. They won the game by 2-1, as Jules-Anthony Vilsaint and Josef Martinez both scored. And according to the stats, the effort of the team was quite commendable. They had 45% possession, 6 shots on target and they created 3 big chances and 2 counter attacks. 

Despite the result against Dallas, Montreal will be under immense pressure ahead of the trip to the DRV PNK Stadium. Montreal manager Laurent Courtois will play a huge role if his team will be walking away with a positive result. It's always a nightmare for managers to set up the team while paying special attention to certain players within the opposition's team. Sadly that's a price he has to pay for a win or a draw at least.

He played a 3-4-2-1 formation in the last game and it won't be a surprise to see him switch to something else for this game. He's bound to face the brilliance of Lionel Messi and how he plans to contain him will be the talking point for him and his coaching team.

Head to Head

According to the h2h, Inter Miami and CF Montreal have played 10 matches against each other. Montreal won 7 matches, while Inter Miami won 2 matches and they drew 1 match.

Analysis and Predictions

Tactical change or not, CF Montreal have to find a way to stop Lionel Messi. There's just a level to his game when he's found his rhythm and that's what other MLS teams should worry about. The Inter Miami are playing very well at the moment and the cohesion is strong within the ranks.

Although they are not unbeatable, it would take a considerable amount of effort to conquer them right now.

According to the h2h, there's been more than 2.5 goals in 5 of the last 7 meetings and both teams scored in those games. Montreal also scored first in 8 of the last 10 meetings. There were less than 4.5 cards in the last 7 matches and less than 10.5 corners in the last 8 meetings.

• Inter Miami Win and Over 1.5 Goals at 1.77 Odds
• Inter Miami Win and Over 1.5 Goals at 1.77 Odds
• Lionel Messi to Score Anytime at 1.83 Odds