Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami: Projected lineups as Lionel Messi’s side looks to reach the top of the MLS Eastern Conference
Columbus Crew are set to host Inter Miami at Cleveland Browns Stadium in a marquee matchup for the 2025 MLS season. With both teams still unbeaten in league play, Lionel Messi and company will look to climb to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
The Crew enter this contest riding a three-game winning streak, having edged past D.C. United, CF Montréal, and St. Louis City—each by a 2-1 scoreline. That run has Columbus leading the Eastern Conference with 18 points from eight matches (5W, 3D), maintaining an unblemished record through the early stages of the season.
Inter Miami, meanwhile, are coming off a scoreless draw against Chicago Fire and currently sit fourth in the East. However, they’ve played just seven games—fewer than most teams—and a win in Columbus would see them leapfrog into first place.
Saturday’s clash features the only two undefeated teams left in the entire MLS, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown. Adding to the intrigue, both clubs boast the league’s stingiest defenses, each conceding just six goals through their opening fixtures.
Key match before Champions Cup semifinal
For Inter Miami, this match carries added weight as it precedes their CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal first leg against the Vancouver Whitecaps next Thursday. Despite the quick turnaround, head coach Javier Mascherano has made it clear that he intends to field Messi and all the team stars.
“The idea is to go with the best possible team, and if everyone is available, we’ll go all in. Then we’ll see if we rotate in any position or not, but it’s a very important game for us, and we’re looking to play it seriously,” the coach stated to the media on Friday.
Projected lineups for Columbus Crew and Inter Miami
Columbus Crew’s projected lineup (3-4-2-1): Patrick Schulte; Steven Moreira, Sean Zawadzki, Malte Amundsen; Mo Farsi, Darlington Nagbe, Maxime Chambost, Jacob Arfsten; Diego Rossi, Cucho Hernández; Jacen Russell-Rowe.
Head coach: Wilfried Nancy.
Inter Miami’s projected lineup (4-4-2): Oscar Ustari; Marcelo Weigandt, Maximiliano Falcon, Noah Allen, Jordi Alba; Tadeo Allende, Yannick Bright, Sergio Busquets, Telasco Segovia; Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez.
Head coach: Javier Mascherano.
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