ATL Standard

Inter Miami head coach and former Atlanta United head coach Tata Martino confirmed Tuesday that Lionel Messi will travel to Atlanta for Wednesday's match. The superstar did not travel the last time Inter Miami CF played in Atlanta last season.

Wednesday is a full-venue match, with the third level of Mercedes-Benz Stadium open. Atlanta United aims to recover from a tough loss at home to Nashville SC on Saturday.

On Monday, the club announced the “MARTA Collection,” the first custom retail collaboration between Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) and a professional sports organization. The retail line will be available for purchase at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium Team Store on matchday.

The match details are as follows:

Date: Wednesday, Sept. 18

Kickoff time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium

For those attending the match at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a detailed timeline and activities before kickoff are available. The game can be watched on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, listened to on local radio 92.9 The Game and La Mejor, or streamed live on MLS Season Pass via the Apple TV app.

Real-time stats and live play-by-play will be available on the Match Hub Page.

Atlanta United seeks to rebound quickly after a disappointing result against Nashville SC. Interim head coach Rob Valentino described Saturday's performance as "uninspiring." Despite this setback, Atlanta had shown promise in their two previous matches after returning from the Leagues Cup break. They kept pace with L.A. Galaxy for about 60 minutes before conceding two goals but followed up with a strong win against Charlotte FC.

Atlanta United won their last two MLS meetings with Inter Miami CF. In their most recent encounter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2023, Atlanta secured an impressive 5-2 victory, ending Miami's 12-match unbeaten streak. Earlier this season, Atlanta defeated Inter Miami 3-1 on May 29 at Chase Stadium.

In that May match, Lionel Messi was contained for 62 minutes before scoring a goal for Miami. However, Jamal Thiaré finished off a team goal to secure three points for Atlanta.

Key players to watch include Alexey Miranchuk of Atlanta United and Luis Suárez of Inter Miami CF. Miranchuk saw his first minutes at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday but struggled along with his team against Nashville SC. Meanwhile, Suárez has been in exceptional form recently, scoring five goals in three matches for Inter Miami.