Clean Start for Messi & Co. đź‘Ź
02/22/2024
By: Jeff Yoder
Inter Miami Starts MLS Campaign With 2-0 Win Over Real Salt Lake
Messi Mania is back! The 2024 MLS season kicked off last night in Miami to put the league’s biggest star on display, as well as his band of former Barcelona teammates. It was all Inter Miami in the opener against Real Salt Lake (2-0). Lionel Messi didn’t score, but he helped orchestrate both scoring opportunities with fancy footwork and passing. Messi assisted Robert Taylor on a run into the box in the first half (39’) before a late insurance goal came via quick 1-2 touch passing between Messi and Luis Suarez to tee up Diego Gomez (83’). That looks like the Miami formula entering the season — using Messi to break defensive schemes and drop it off to teammates for goal-scoring chances. Miami is now 9-4-2 since Messi joined the club, and they’re officially 1-0-0 to open 2024. Let’s kick it!
Watch:Â Inter Miami def. Real Salt Lake (2-0)
MLS Opening Weekend:Â The rest of the MLS begins their 2024 season on Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 24-25).
Champions League (Knockouts)
Another set of timid Leg 1s appeared to be the story in the Champions League on Wednesday. Just like Tuesday’s games, only three goals were scored as clubs dip their toe in for a two-leg heat. Napoli and Barcelona played to a 1-1 draw with second-half goals in a pretty even contest, but FC Porto stunned Arsenal (1-0) with a stoppage-time strike from Galeno (90+4’). The Brazilian Galeno hit a curler from outside the box that sent Estadio de Dragao into bedlam. There’s still much to be settled in Leg 2s (beginning in March).
 Champions League Highlights
Knockout Stage (Round of 16, Leg 2)
March 5-6 & March 12-13
Photo: Megan Briggs / Getty Images