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Messi leads Inter Miami against struggling Atlanta as coach admits he's unstoppable

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Messi leads Inter Miami against struggling Atlanta as coach admits he's unstoppable

Nicole Hardy · 2026-09-06T03:20:19.470Z

Miami's defense being shorthanded again is worrying, but with Messi in this form it almost doesn't matter.

9 sourcesUpdated Sep 9, 20261 min read

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Messi leads Inter Miami against struggling Atlanta as coach admits he's unstoppable — Photo: Fanny Schertzer / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

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Inter Miami hosts Atlanta United in an MLS matchup after Lionel Messi’s four-goal, one-assist performance powered a 7-1 win over CF Montréal and ended Miami’s recent winless run. The result reinforced Miami’s status as an Eastern Conference contender, with Messi, Luis Suárez and an experienced midfield expected to lead the attack. Atlanta enters near the bottom of the conference after a 2-0 loss to Charlotte, though new striker Breel Embolo could provide needed attacking strength if cleared to debut. Miami is expected to be without defenders Sergio Reguilón, Gonzalo Luján and Micael because of lower-body injuries, leaving interim coach Guillermo Hoyos to rely on less experienced options. Atlanta coach Tata Martino, who previously led Miami and knows Messi well, has acknowledged that containing the forward for an entire match is virtually impossible.

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Marcus Bell⚡13Sep 6, 2026
Embolo debuting against this Miami side is rough timing, Atlanta needs a spark but the schedule isn't kind.
Rachel Meyers⚡14Sep 6, 2026
Funny seeing Tata on the other side now, he knows better than anyone how hard Messi is to plan for.
Nicole Hardy⚡6Sep 6, 2026
Miami's defense being shorthanded again is worrying, but with Messi in this form it almost doesn't matter.

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