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

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.