Inter Miami predicted lineup vs Charlotte FC - Leagues Cup
- Front three of Messi, Martinez, Taylor set to remain unchanged
- Benjamin Cremaschi made strong case to be back in lineup after Dallas showing
- Jordi Alba in line to start for second straight game
Inter Miami head coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino won't be looking to make too many changes to his starting lineup ahead of his side's Leagues Cup quarter-final clash against Charlotte FC.
The former Barcelona boss made two changes to the lineup last time out against FC Dallas, bringing summer signing Jordi Alba into the mix and leaving Benjamin Cremaschi on the bench for Diego Gomez in midfield.
However, Cremaschi would go on to prove to Martino to not drop him in again, as he immediately impacted the game after coming by scoring within minutes of his substitution and converted his penalty during the shootout to send Miami to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Leagues Cup.
Martino may now have a headache when picking his lineup, or is it a more straightforward decision given Cremaschi's late heroics?
Inter Miami predicted lineup vs Charlotte FC (4-3-3)
GK: Drake Callender - Wasn't the best performance by any means against Dallas, but he wasn't helped at all by his defense. He'll need his backline to not leave so much space behind if they are to continue to progress in the competition.
RB: DeAndre Yedlin - The USMNT player has the right-back shirt on lock, as he continues to be a solid option in that department for Martino.
CB: Serhiy Kryvstov - If the experienced center-back puts in another performance like he did against Dallas, Christopher McVey could be in line to take his place. But for now, Kryvstov remains in the backline.
CB: Kamal Miller - Miami's best center-back option, a no brainer. He is calm and tidy on the ball and did well to convert his penalty during the shootout and is one of the first names on Martino's team sheet.
LB: Jordi Alba - There are definitely a lot of question marks regarding his defensive positioning and ability at the moment, but there's no denying that he's still electric going forward. It seems like we'll be seeing more of his clever cut-back passes until teams try to put a stop to it.
CM: Dixon Arroyo - A necessary component as he's not a flashy midfielder, but one who does a lot of the dirty work.
CM: Sergio Busquets - He appears to be one step ahead of everyone else on the pitch (bar Messi) with his quick passes and anticipation. Has been a game-changer for Miami since joining the Herons.
CM: Benjamin Cremaschi - Perhaps Martino chose to go with Gomez against Dallas to shore up his defense, but unfortunately for the ex-Mexico national team bass, it didn't really go to plan. Keeping Cremaschi in the XI to link up with Messi, Josef Martinez, and Robert Taylor going forward suits the Herons more in how they plan to play games.
RW: Lionel Messi - Don't really have to explain this one? Even as he's nearing the end of his career, he's still one of the world's best players (if not the best) and continues to put Inter Miami on his back with his stellar performances.
ST: Josef Martinez - He didn't have the strongest of performances against Dallas, but he still shouldn't be dropped given his impressive chemistry and link-up play with Messi and Taylor. If he does have another poor showing, Leonardo Campana might get the not at striker if they progress to the semi-final.
LW: Robert Taylor - Miami's best option on the left-wing has seemingly turned into a completely different player with Messi's arrival.
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