Lionel Messi is expected to play a key role as Inter Miami hosted the New England Revolution at Nu Stadium on April 25, a match scheduled to kick off at 7:30 PM ET and shown live in the United States on Apple TV.
Inter Miami arrive under pressure to end a curious run at their new ground: the club remains without a regular-season home victory at Nu Stadium after a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls in their most recent match there. Yet the team comes in on the back of momentum — a 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake on Wednesday left Inter Miami second in the Eastern Conference, and the club has gone unbeaten since Guillermo Hoyos took over as head coach.
The numbers underline why the fixture matters. Inter Miami’s attack, led by Messi, had produced 18 goals in nine games entering the fixture. New England arrived in confident form too, having won four consecutive matches and most recently beaten Atlanta United 2-1. The Revolution sat third in the Eastern Conference with 15 points after eight matchdays.
Availability and absences sharpen the stakes. Inter Miami will be without Sergio Reguilon and Mateo Silvetti because of injury, and Yannick Bright and Telasco Segovia were serving suspensions. League officials said Bright’s suspension was extended "for violating the league’s Non-Discrimination Policy." New England faced uncertainty in midfield and attack: Brayan Ceballos and Jackson Yueill were listed as questionable with lower-body injuries, while Matt Polster and Leonardo Campana were also doubtfuI because of lower-body issues; Yueill’s last appearance came April 11 against D.C. United, when he played 60 minutes, and Polster exited a match against CF Montreal on April 4 after 38 minutes.
Context sharpens the matchup. Inter Miami had not yet recorded a regular-season home win at Nu Stadium despite earlier draws at the venue this month, and they had beaten New England in each of the last four meetings between the clubs, including a 4-1 victory at Chase Stadium last year. New England, meanwhile, has taken 15 points from eight matchdays — five more than at the same stage of the previous campaign — but their returns on the road have been mixed historically; the Revolution had not won a regular-season match in Florida since beating Orlando City 3-0 in August 2022.
That mix of form and fragility creates real tension. Inter Miami’s unbeaten run under Hoyos and Messi’s scoring influence suggest the home side should be favorites — yet they still have not translated that form into a home win at Nu Stadium, and absences in wide areas and at fullback could blunt the attack. New England’s recent winning streak makes them dangerous, but questions over availability in midfield and forward areas could limit their ability to stop Messi and his teammates.
There are small signals that could decide the game. How Inter Miami copes without Sergio Reguilon and Mateo Silvetti — and whether suspended players like Bright will remain absent despite the club’s recent reliance on rotation — will shape the hosts’ approach. On the other side, whether Jackson Yueill or Matt Polster can return to steady New England’s spine after their recent lower-body issues will determine how well the Revolution can contain Inter Miami’s chance creation.
Marko Mitrovic, addressing player availability, described some statuses as "day-to-day," underlining the last-minute uncertainty both clubs faced. With the match airing on Apple TV at 7:30 PM ET, supporters can watch how those fine margins play out on the field.
The single most consequential question after the whistle will be whether Messi can finally deliver a regular-season home victory at Nu Stadium and break the club’s odd home stalemate — a result that would validate the unbeaten run under Hoyos and extend Inter Miami’s recent dominance over New England, or else hand the Revolution a timely statement win on the road.
