Lionel Messi's Inter Miami debut was like a movie, even his head coach Tata Martino said so. Messi scored from a free-kick in the 94th minute to beat Cruz Azul 2-1. Will lightning strike twice? Check out our Lionel Messi Leagues Cup picks for Tuesday's Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United matchup.
Messi's left foot never fails to deliver, much to the delight of LeBron James, Venus Williams, and all of the other A-listers in the crowd at DRV PNK Stadium last Friday night. The Argentine maestro is back on his new home turf on Tuesday, where a win will secure Miami's place in the next round of the Leagues Cup.
These two sides last met in May, when Miami won 2-1 despite being reduced to 10 men. Atlanta United are conceding an average of two goals a game on the road in MLS this season. They've kept just three clean sheets in 12 away matches. Can Messi capitalize on United's leaky defense?
Here is our best Lionel Messi Leagues Cup pick for Tuesday's Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United matchup (odds via our best sports betting apps; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Lionel Messi Leagues Cup pick: Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United
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Lionel Messi might see limited action again, as the 36-year-old adjusts to his new surroundings. This match comes just days after the dramatic win on Friday. The Argentine played just over half an hour in that game.
Expect Messi to start the game on the bench, like last Friday. The good news for him is that Atlanta United are conceding on average almost a goal a game in the second half this season (0.96). They don't travel well, winning just twice so far this campaign, losing five and drawing two.
In addition, 24 of the 39 goals Atlanta has conceded have been away from home.
United's xGA is 1.49 on the road, as opposed to 1.11 at home. They've conceded in 75% of their games in 2023.
Messi's goal involvements for PSG last season were 1.01 per game, which was the 99th percentile in Ligue 1. He averaged a goal every other game, en route to the French league title in 2022-23. Even with reduced game time, he's going to get opportunities against a bad Atlanta defense. He's focused, he's hungry, and he's a threat.
Lionel Messi best odds
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | PointsBet |
| Messi anytime scorer | Messi anytime scorer | Messi anytime scorer | Messi anytime scorer | Messi anytime scorer |
| +110 | -115 | +105 | N/A | N/A |
Three of our best sports betting sites are offering odds on this play. There aren't many Messi plays on the market, though this might be because the Leagues Cup is such a fledgling competition, and the maestro is still finding his feet in Florida.
Not that it stopped him on Friday.
For three straight seasons from 2016 to 2019, he was averaging more than a goal a game at Barcelona. It has dipped since then but last season at PSG he was averaging 0.51 goals per game, which was double the season before (0.25). He proved he's still got it on the world's biggest stage. And, despite his age, he also showed on Friday that he can score in any situation.
FanDuel is fully aware of his threat, which is why they've priced him as low as -115 for this play. Early on Monday, BetMGM had odds of +110 for Messi to score, but this has dipped to +105. DraftKings has been consistent over the weekend with their price at +110.
Inter Miami vs. Atlanta United game info
- Date: Tuesday, July 25, 7:30 p.m. ET
- TV: Apple TV
- Location: DRV PNK Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Weather: 84 degrees, 2% chance of precipitation, 9-mph winds
Lionel Messi Leagues Cup pick made 07/24/2023 at 2 p.m. ET.
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