Inter Miami will visit DC United this Saturday in Major League Soccer, and all eyes are on Lionel Messi.
This Saturday, Inter Miami will play their third official match of the 2026 Major League Soccer season. It will be against DC United at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, a venue expected to be packed due to the huge anticipation surrounding Lionel Messi.
In the hours leading up to the match, the Eagles’ head coach was asked about his plan to stop the Argentine forward. “Lionel Messi is the best in the world. It’s impossible to truly stop him,” Rene Weiler said during a press conference, shared by journalist Jose Armando on X.
Despite acknowledging that stopping Messi is impossible, the coach then explained his plan to make things as difficult as possible for the Inter Miami star on the field. “The key is not giving him space and defending well as a team,” Weiler said.
However, the DC United boss emphasized that focusing only on Messi will not be enough to neutralize the Herons. “It’s not only him. It’s like the benchmark of the league, because they won the league last season. They have very good players and we have to be aware for 90 minutes,” the 52-year-old Swiss coach added. “We have to anticipate all situations very quickly. We have to defend perfectly, otherwise we can’t get a good result.”
DC United head coach Rene Weiler.
The Messi effect in MLS
As happens every time Inter Miami play away from home, local fans’ attention is focused far more on Lionel Messi than on supporting their own team. Rene Weiler also addressed that reality during the press conference.
“It’s an honor to face Messi, and we’ve prepared for it like an away game,” the DC United coach admitted. However, Weiler did not hide a certain level of disappointment with that reality: “It’s about business and marketing. I would prefer it to be more about the sport. But it will be an honor to take part in this match in front of 60,000 people.”
Inter Miami’s upcoming challenges
Saturday’s match against DC United will be Inter Miami’s third of the season, following a loss to LAFC and a win over Orlando City. After the trip to Baltimore, the Herons will make their official debut in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup against Nashville SC.
The first leg of the Round of 16 will take place on Wednesday, March 11 at Geodis Park, while the decisive match will be played a week later at Chase Stadium, which will be the Herons’ final game there before the official opening of Nu Stadium. Between those two matches, Lionel Messi and his teammates will also be in MLS action, visiting Charlotte FC on Saturday, March 14.