MLS Regular Season | Match #9
New England Revolution vs. Inter Miami CF
Saturday, April 27 | 7:30 p.m. ET
Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, Mass.
Watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
English Talent: Jake Zivin (play-by-play), Taylor Twellman (analyst)
Spanish Talent: Sammy Sadovnik (play-by-play), Diego Valeri (analyst)
Listen: Country 102.5 FM, SiriusXM Channel 157 (English), 1260 AM Nossa Radio (Portuguese)
English Talent: Brad Feldman (play-by-play), Charlie Davies (analyst)
CURRENT FORM
New England Revolution
15th in Eastern Conference (1-6-1, 4 pts.)
Last Result | 1-0 loss at Toronto FC
Head coach Caleb Porter called last weekend’s trip to BMO Field the Revolution’s “second-best performance of the year,” but unfortunately the result didn’t follow in a 1-0 loss to Toronto FC. Goalkeeper Henrich Ravas saved a second-half penalty to keep the visitors alive until the final whistle as they created several quality chances, but the Revs once again struggled to find the finish, now with just five goals scored through eight games.
After back-to-back road losses, the Revs will now return to Gillette Stadium hoping to get a boost from a near sellout crowd, which is expected to set a single-game attendance record for the Revolution. They’ll be aiming to build off their last two home performances, which garnered four points from a 1-1 draw with Chicago Fire FC and a 1-0 win over Charlotte FC.
Inter Miami CF
1st in Eastern Conference (5-2-3, 18 pts.)
Last Result | 3-1 win vs. Nashville SC
Miami’s star-studded roster has lived up to expectations through the early part of the season, as the Herons will enter the weekend atop the Supporters’ Shield standings and leading the league with 22 goals score through 10 games. Tata Martino’s side is unbeaten in the last four (2-0-2), while Miami have taken points from three of their four road games, going 2-1-1 thus far.
Inter Miami have been vulnerable defensively, however, conceding 15 goals, tied for seventh-most leaguewide. They’ve conceded at least one goal in each of their last 11 games in all competitions, keeping their last clean sheet on March 2 against Orlando.
KEY PLAYERS
Revolution midfielder Carles Gil
In need of an attacking spark, the Revs will turn to their captain and talisman Carles Gil, who leads the team with three goals in league play but has yet to register an assist after compiling 47 helpers combined the past three seasons. That has not been for lack of creativity, however, as Gil ranks second in MLS in key passes (25), four back of league leader Luciano Acosta (29).
Gil has been particularly lethal against Miami, racking up three goals and five assists while starting each of the six all-time meetings between these teams. The 31-year-old playmaker was critical in the most recent matchup, factoring into all three goals (one goal, two assists) in the Revolution’s 3-1 win over Miami last June.
Miami forward Lionel Messi
Just seven months after leading Argentina to victory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Lionel Messi arrived in Miami last July with the weight of expectations on his shoulders. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has unquestionably lived up to the hype, scoring 10 goals in last year’s Leagues Cup to guide Miami to their first-ever trophy, though he was limited to just six league appearances as the Herons missed out on the postseason.
The 36-year-old has been stellar to start the 2024 MLS campaign, scoring in each of his last five appearances to total seven goals and six assists. Messi missed a chunk of time earlier in the season with a hamstring injury, but returned to action in early April and has since racked up four goals and four assists in four appearances.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Revolution head coach Caleb Porter on if this weekend’s match is an opportunity:
“I think it's an opportunity for us to use this spotlight and gain fans. For the casual fan who doesn't always come to New England Revolution matches, to capture interest. That's really important. But also, for our season, yeah, it could jumpstart our season a little bit and be a catapult game.”
Porter on if controlling possession is an emphasis to keep the ball away from Lionel Messi:
“I don't know if it's more of an emphasis, but I think everybody says what you just said. That’s what everybody wants to do against Miami and [Lionel] Messi, but very few teams actually do it. So, for me, it's about whatever our plan is, only our players and our coaches know what our plan is. Can we execute? Because we have great ideas as coaches and on the training ground, those things come off, but it's about making them come off in the game and executing in the game. That's going to be the key. If we execute the way we want to play, I think we will have a shot. You’re not going to stop Messi, but can you limit his effectiveness? That's the best way to describe it. He's always going to be good. He's never going to be bad. He's always going to be good and he's always going to have moments. But can you limit those moments?”
Porter on the additions of Xavier Arreaga and Aljaž Ivačič and the potential for minutes on Saturday:
“Yeah, [Arreaga and Ivačič] are good players. They have been in big environments. Portland and Seattle are big environments. I know as well as anybody because I coached in Portland for five years and it is a pressure cooker there. It's a big fan base, you're under a microscope every single day. Both of those clubs are competing for trophies every single year, and they were a part of eras where their clubs were competing for trophies. In both their cases, they've won trophies. Those are the type of players that we want – guys that are experienced, guys that have won, guys that have a natural confidence that’s infectious. So, what I've felt is that their energy, their confidence, their experience, and their winning mentality has been infectious with our group.”
Revolution captain Carles Gil on if the Revs did anything different to prepare for Miami:
“It’s another game. Obviously, it’s against a big team with big players, and in a good moment for them. We know it will be difficult. They have the best player in the world, so we have to be very focused on him but try to do our job. To be strong at home, that’s what we want to climb up in the league. I think it’s a good game to show that we want to win games.”
Gil on if he views Saturday’s match as an opportunity for the team to get back on track:
“Sometimes you need something special to change everything. We know we will have many fans tomorrow in a game against a big team, against [Lionel] Messi. I think it’s a good point for us to win a game. Obviously, it will be very difficult, and we need to do many things well to get the three points.”
Gil on his role in Saturday’s match:
“My position means that maybe I need to be more focused on [Sergio] Busquets, because we play in the same area. [Busquets] is a guy that, the ball is passed to him and then he finds Messi every time. So, I need to have a good press on him and try to make sure he’s not comfortable on the ball. In the end, I think we need to try to make sure they are not comfortable on the ball, without the ball, try to have our moments with the ball. Hopefully, we can do it tomorrow.”
